--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The issue of gender was never my biggest…" description: "\"The issue of gender was never my biggest concern; my biggest concern was doing good work. When the feminist movement really got going, I wasn't an acti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6c/patti-smith-394_active_the-issue-of-gender-was-never-my-biggest_1669359.jpg" --- # The issue of gender was never my biggest concern; my… ![“The issue of gender was never my biggest concern; my biggest concern was doing good work. When the feminist movement really got going, I wasn't an active part of it because I was more concerned with my own mental pursuits.” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6c/patti-smith-394_active_the-issue-of-gender-was-never-my-biggest_1669359.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6c/patti-smith-394_active_the-issue-of-gender-was-never-my-biggest_1669359.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6c/patti-smith-394_active_the-issue-of-gender-was-never-my-biggest_1669359.jpg) > “The issue of gender was never my biggest concern; my biggest concern was doing good work. When the feminist movement really got going, I wasn't an active part of it because I was more concerned with my own mental pursuits.” [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 prioritizes artistic integrity over gender politics, focusing on producing quality work regardless of feminist movements. **In simple terms:** She values good work over gender issues. Key Takeaway Focus on craft and personal goals. Themes gender art work ethic feminism identity Mood thoughtful determined Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - career development - artistic collaboration - activism discussions Key Concepts social dynamics personal agency creative focus Questions to Reflect On - How does ignoring gender politics affect artistic communities? - Can good work exist separate from social context? A Different Perspective Neglecting gender issues may overlook systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Active](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active/) [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned/) [Doing good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-good/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Feminist movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist-movement/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) [Issue Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issue-gender-842797/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-feminist-560941/) ## Related quotes > [The work is what it is and hopefully it's seen as feminist work, or feminist-advised work, but I'm not going to go around espousing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/the-work-is-what-it-is-and-hopefully-it-s-seen-as-feminist-work-or/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) > [The question of whether one has one's own political power or goes to work for someone else is not only a feminist question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/the-question-of-whether-one-has-one-s-own-political-power-or-goes-to/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [There's no problem with a woman being president of the United States if you take her gender as a sole issue. Gender shouldn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/there-s-no-problem-with-a-woman-being-president-of-the-united-states/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [I understand why some women/girls/ladies don't want to be women-identified 'cuz it totally complicates your band identity and no one seems to pay much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobi-vail/i-understand-why-some-women-girls-ladies-don-t-want-to-be-women/) [Tobi Vail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobi-vail/) > [Individual heterosexual women came to the movement from relationships where men were cruel, unkind, violent, unfaithful. Many of these men were radical thinkers who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/individual-heterosexual-women-came-to-the-movement-from-relationships/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [What the government and we in society need to do is to address the issue of gender justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-sibal/what-the-government-and-we-in-society-need-to-do-is-to-address-the/) [Kapil Sibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-sibal/) > [Setting aside the issue of gender while highlighting the symmetry of bodies seemed indispensable in order to focus on the narrative of human beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alante-kavaite/setting-aside-the-issue-of-gender-while-highlighting-the-symmetry-of/) [Alante Kavaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alante-kavaite/) > [It seems to me to be kind of inescapable that one has to be interested in the issue of gender and gender equality. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/it-seems-to-me-to-be-kind-of-inescapable-that-one-has-to-be/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Education is key. We have to keep girls in school and give them the same opportunities that boys have. They need access to vocational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-anderson/education-is-key-we-have-to-keep-girls-in-school-and-give-them-the/) [Gillian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-anderson/) > [I am not an expert on that whole issue of gender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-am-not-an-expert-on-that-whole-issue-of-gender/) [Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/) > [If there is a woman filmmaker or a woman artist, the issue of gender is floating very close to their work... It almost naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-roy/if-there-is-a-woman-filmmaker-or-a-woman-artist-the-issue-of-gender/) [Rahul Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-roy/) > [I never had an issue with gender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/i-never-had-an-issue-with-gender/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [I had to work harder. I couldn't do the social thing, and play the game the others were playing. I had to work that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-walters/i-had-to-work-harder-i-couldn-t-do-the-social-thing-and-play-the-game/) [Charles Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-walters/) > [There's never a surefire good career move except doing good work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-green/there-s-never-a-surefire-good-career-move-except-doing-good-work/) [Seth Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-green/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## 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 Active quotes > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. 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Whole foods are the best for you when you are super active, so I get plenty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witney-carson/i-eat-healthy-most-of-the-time-whole-foods-are-the-best-for-you-when/) [Witney Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witney-carson/) > [Art shows us how to see things that are constructive and good, and to be an active part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/art-shows-us-how-to-see-things-that-are-constructive-and-good-and-to/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Love, like truth and beauty, is concrete. Love is not fundamentally a sweet feeling; not, at heart, a matter of sentiment, attachment, or being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-heyward/love-like-truth-and-beauty-is-concrete-love-is-not-fundamentally-a/) [Carter Heyward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-heyward/) > [Studying Sol's interior by looking for analogous patterns on its incandescent face is known as helioseismology, an active - if largely unpronounceable - research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/studying-sol-s-interior-by-looking-for-analogous-patterns-on-its/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. 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That's always easier once you've made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-brownlee/you-need-to-enjoy-yourself-and-just-get-into-the-routine-of-keeping/) [Alistair Brownlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-brownlee/) [Browse all 2,212 Active quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/active/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The issue of gender was never my biggest concern; my biggest concern was doing good work. 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