--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't like categorizing stuff, but…" description: "\"“I don't like categorizing stuff, but women's roles all through history have been to act as hierophant or someone who's guarded the secrets or guarded ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a9/patti-smith-394_history_i-don-t-like-categorizing-stuff-but-wome_2635570.jpg" --- # I don't like categorizing stuff, but women's roles all… ![“I don't like categorizing stuff, but women's roles all through history have been to act as hierophant or someone who's guarded the secrets or guarded the temple. I'm a girl doing what guys usually did, the way that I look, the goals and kinds of things I want to help achieve through rock. It's…” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a9/patti-smith-394_history_i-don-t-like-categorizing-stuff-but-wome_2635570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a9/patti-smith-394_history_i-don-t-like-categorizing-stuff-but-wome_2635570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a9/patti-smith-394_history_i-don-t-like-categorizing-stuff-but-wome_2635570.jpg) > ““I don't like categorizing stuff, but women's roles all through history have been to act as hierophant or someone who's guarded the secrets or guarded the temple. I'm a girl doing what guys usually did, the way that I look, the goals and kinds of things I want to help achieve through rock. It's more heroic stuff and heroic stuff has been traditionally male. Like Hendrix and Jim Morrison and all those people. I mean, Jim Morrison was trying to elevate the word; he was the poet in rock & roll before me. He was an academic poet. Lou Reed -- another academic poet. I'm more like down-to-earth than them guys”” [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She challenges traditional gender roles by taking on creative, heroic positions historically reserved for men in rock music. **In simple terms:** She breaks gender expectations in rock. Key Takeaway Embrace your unique voice regardless of gender. Themes gender music creativity heroism identity Mood empowering defiant reflective Type personal cultural inspirational When to use this quote - music performance - songwriting - public speaking - activism Key Concepts Breaking stereotypes cultural evolution Questions to Reflect On - How does gender shape artistic expression? - What barriers remain for women in rock? A Different Perspective Balancing authenticity with industry expectations can be tough. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jim-morrison/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lou-reed/) [Male Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/male-like-2224902/) [Poet Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet-rock-2224901/) [Rock Heroic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-heroic-2224900/) [Stuff Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-women-2224899/) [Women'S Roles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-roles-2/) ## Related quotes > [ I must say I can appreciate it when males are very male. Like Harrison \[Ford\], for instance. He's pretty butch. I guess I prefer… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-must-say-i-can-appreciate-it-when-males-are-very-male-like-harrison/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [“Look, we say stuff to women all the time. We say we’ll call them, then we don’t. We tell them they’re beautiful, then spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lani-diane-rich/look-we-say-stuff-to-women-all-the-time-we-say-we-ll-call-them-then/) [Lani Diane Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lani-diane-rich/) > [When I was growing up, the alternative-music scene, not just in Ireland but... in the U.K. and in America and stuff... the women were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cmat/when-i-was-growing-up-the-alternative-music-scene-not-just-in-ireland/) [CMAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cmat/) > [There are a lot of movies out there that I would hate to be paid to do, some real demeaning, real woman-denigrating stuff. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beah-richards/there-are-a-lot-of-movies-out-there-that-i-would-hate-to-be-paid-to/) [Beah Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beah-richards/) > [There are some great women's roles in television... so much more interesting than what I was reading in film scripts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-otto/there-are-some-great-women-s-roles-in-television-so-much-more/) [Miranda Otto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-otto/) > [I single handedly revolutionised women's roles in the WWE, before me all women were eye candy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-dumas/i-single-handedly-revolutionised-women-s-roles-in-the-wwe-before-me/) [Amy Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-dumas/) > [When I started in the theater, I'd do plays by Shakespeare or Ibsen or Chekhov, and they all created great women's roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/when-i-started-in-the-theater-i-d-do-plays-by-shakespeare-or-ibsen-or/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [“I would suggest that especially in the differential of images that arise, in the inflections that we find within the representations of women we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loriliai-biernacki/i-would-suggest-that-especially-in-the-differential-of-images-that/) [Loriliai Biernacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loriliai-biernacki/) > [Why, in the Peking Opera, are women's roles played by men?...Because only a man knows how a woman is supposed to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/why-in-the-peking-opera-are-women-s-roles-played-by-men-because-only/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [I think, certainly in the more civilized societies, women's roles are growing in power all of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-quinn/i-think-certainly-in-the-more-civilized-societies-women-s-roles-are/) [Sally Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-quinn/) > [What I really want to do is create great roles for women. And I'm not talking Nicholas Sparks romance. I think women's roles have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-rosenberg/what-i-really-want-to-do-is-create-great-roles-for-women-and-i-m-not/) [Melissa Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-rosenberg/) > [I feel there is no shortage of real interesting women's roles. But I found them and did all of them just now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gyllenhaal/i-feel-there-is-no-shortage-of-real-interesting-women-s-roles-but-i/) [Maggie Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gyllenhaal/) > [Real equality in films is going to take time and will directly reflect our society. So ladies, please speak up at home, at work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-crampton/real-equality-in-films-is-going-to-take-time-and-will-directly/) [Barbara Crampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-crampton/) > [ That's the really frustrating thing, but also the fixable thing. My theory why no one notices is that that's the \[women's roles\] ratio thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/that-s-the-really-frustrating-thing-but-also-the-fixable-thing-my/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [“Yes, there are passages in Scripture—especially in Paul’s epistles—about women’s roles. But it is biblically untenable and soul crushing to tell a woman that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elyse-m-fitzpatrick/yes-there-are-passages-in-scripture-especially-in-paul-s-epistles/) [Elyse M. Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elyse-m-fitzpatrick/) ## More by Patti Smith > [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Inside it he inscribed a few lines of poetry, portraying us as the gypsy and the fool, one creating silence; one listening closely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/inside-it-he-inscribed-a-few-lines-of-poetry-portraying-us-as-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Who can know the heart of youth but youth itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/who-can-know-the-heart-of-youth-but-youth-itself/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“I clawed through a thick web of the culture’s consciousness that I hadn’t known existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-clawed-through-a-thick-web-of-the-culture-s-consciousness-that-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm certain, as we filled down the great staircase, that I appeared the same as ever, a moping twelve years-old, all arms and legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-certain-as-we-filled-down-the-great-staircase-that-i-appeared-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-art-and-dream-may-you-proceed-with-abandon-in-life-may-you-proceed/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [New York is the thing that seduced me. New York is the thing that formed me. New York is the thing that deformed me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/new-york-is-the-thing-that-seduced-me-new-york-is-the-thing-that/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I don't wanna be equal with anybody. I wanna be above equal. I don't think most people are equal to me. I'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-wanna-be-equal-with-anybody-i-wanna-be-above-equal-i-don-t/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Somehow I started introducing writing into my drawings, and after a time, the language took over and I started getting very involved with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/somehow-i-started-introducing-writing-into-my-drawings-and-after-a/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm okay with roaming around the world in my bunk for days on end. Maybe every third day I'll get a shower or stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-okay-with-roaming-around-the-world-in-my-bunk-for-days-on-end/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Explore all 595 Patti Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## More History quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I don't like categorizing stuff, but women's roles all through history have been to act as hierophant or someone who's guarded the secrets or guarded the temple. 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