--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've known that people were racist and…" description: "\"I've known that people were racist and misogynistic and homophobic since I was very little.\" — Perfume Genius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/perfume-genius-6519_homophobic_i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-m_457278.png" --- # I've known that people were racist and misogynistic and… ![“I've known that people were racist and misogynistic and homophobic since I was very little.” quote by Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/perfume-genius-6519_homophobic_i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-m_457278.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/perfume-genius-6519_homophobic_i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-m_457278.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/perfume-genius-6519_homophobic_i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-m_457278.png) > “I've known that people were racist and misogynistic and homophobic since I was very little.” [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Awareness of systemic prejudice from a young age shapes personal identity and activism. **In simple terms:** He recognized racism, misogyny, homophobia early on. Key Takeaway Combat prejudice through awareness. Themes social justice identity Lophobia personal history Mood thoughtful determined Type social personal When to use this quote - music - public speaking - education Key Concepts early awareness activism self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does early exposure to prejudice influence later activism? - What steps can individuals take to challenge systemic bias? A Different Perspective Awareness may not translate to action without support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [We need to look beyond the obvious. Yes, there are minstrel images in hip-hop. Yes, there are demeaning, anti-racist, misogynistic and homophobic representations. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/we-need-to-look-beyond-the-obvious-yes-there-are-minstrel-images-in/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [Maybe you are homophobic a little bit, but then you see me, and you've always loved me, and you love the way I play,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rapinoe/maybe-you-are-homophobic-a-little-bit-but-then-you-see-me-and-you-ve/) [Megan Rapinoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-rapinoe/) > [Minister Farrakhan absolutely says anti-Semitic, misogynistic and homophobic remarks. And we have unequivocally rejected all forms of racism and hate, including anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sarsour/minister-farrakhan-absolutely-says-anti-semitic-misogynistic-and/) [Linda Sarsour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sarsour/) > [I found it incredibly disheartening that in the late '90s, suddenly pop culture became even more misogynistic and more homophobic, and so I criticized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-found-it-incredibly-disheartening-that-in-the-late-90s-suddenly-pop/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [You can fill this table up with people who are racist, homophobic, Satanist worshippers, sexist and we can be arguing but if you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-king/you-can-fill-this-table-up-with-people-who-are-racist-homophobic/) [Charles King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-king/) > [Being 15 and like a punk in the DIY community, basically being with a group of people like no one else, it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babatunde-adebimpe/being-15-and-like-a-punk-in-the-diy-community-basically-being-with-a/) [Babatunde Adebimpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babatunde-adebimpe/) > [ “\[God is\] a vindictive bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser , a misogynistic, homophobic racist, an infanticidal, genocidal, phillicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/god-is-a-vindictive-bloodthirsty-ethnic-cleanser-a-misogynistic/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Secretly everybody's getting tired of political correctness, kissing up. That's the kiss-ass generation we're in right now. We're really in a pussy generation. Everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/secretly-everybody-s-getting-tired-of-political-correctness-kissing/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [“Telling people that they are racist—on the basis of immutable characteristics, using incomprehensible definitions that they may not know or understand—then claiming they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-val-thomas/telling-people-that-they-are-racist-on-the-basis-of-immutable/) Dr Val Thomas > [People are racist about redheads in a way they'd never dare to be about black or Asian people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-hucknall/people-are-racist-about-redheads-in-a-way-they-d-never-dare-to-be/) [Mick Hucknall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-hucknall/) > [I mean, I think everybody realizes that calling people racist is a waste of time; nobody buys it anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/i-mean-i-think-everybody-realizes-that-calling-people-racist-is-a/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [The SPLC calls so many people racist they have watered down the term.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kobach/the-splc-calls-so-many-people-racist-they-have-watered-down-the-term/) [Kris Kobach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kobach/) > [“It's alive and well everywhere. Native Americans get a lot of crap in the West and south west. Muslims get treated like crap in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/it-s-alive-and-well-everywhere-native-americans-get-a-lot-of-crap-in/) [Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/) > [People who are racist, they love, they laugh, they are committed to their family and their friends. They're human beings. This is what's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paterson-joseph/people-who-are-racist-they-love-they-laugh-they-are-committed-to/) [Paterson Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paterson-joseph/) > [People are racist to us, sir, so why can't we be racist to rangas?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah/people-are-racist-to-us-sir-so-why-can-t-we-be-racist-to-rangas/) [Jonah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah/) ## More by Perfume Genius > [Hymns have always sounded like sung spells to me. I never felt included in the magic of the God songs I heard growing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spells-to-me-i-never-felt/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I wanna be bad sometimes - I wanna rip everything apart, -but it comes on less and less. Doing all this music stuff is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-wanna-be-bad-sometimes-i-wanna-rip-everything-apart-but-it-comes-on/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I'm just very self-conscious about the way I look. I really am embarrassed of it, because I wish I wasn't like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-m-just-very-self-conscious-about-the-way-i-look-i-really-am/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I was really scared of the devil growing up: I was convinced I was going to be possessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-was-really-scared-of-the-devil-growing-up-i-was-convinced-i-was/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I like to have fun! And everything that's good for you is not fun, and that bores me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-like-to-have-fun-and-everything-that-s-good-for-you-is-not-fun-and/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [On the first two albums, I essentially began with lyrics and placed the music underneath or around the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/on-the-first-two-albums-i-essentially-began-with-lyrics-and-placed/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I think people have a hard time dealing with a bunch of things at once. They can't have something be disturbing and funny at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-think-people-have-a-hard-time-dealing-with-a-bunch-of-things-at/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I'm personally not a very contact-y person; I just let my phone die and don't turn it on for a couple of days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-m-personally-not-a-very-contact-y-person-i-just-let-my-phone-die/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I feel kind of limited and locked into my body and brain - I'm not super into it all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-feel-kind-of-limited-and-locked-into-my-body-and-brain-i-m-not/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I wasn't a hoarder, but I was on my way. I went to thrift stores and never didn't buy something. A lot of cat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-wasn-t-a-hoarder-but-i-was-on-my-way-i-went-to-thrift-stores-and/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [My mom is not religious, but she's a very spiritual, magical kind of lady. One time, when I was younger, my mom said she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/my-mom-is-not-religious-but-she-s-a-very-spiritual-magical-kind-of/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [One of the things that 'Too Bright' refers to is how there's a lot of times where I see things that I could change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/one-of-the-things-that-too-bright-refers-to-is-how-there-s-a-lot-of/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [Music helped me, growing up: it very much felt like a companion and made me less lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/music-helped-me-growing-up-it-very-much-felt-like-a-companion-and/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [When I started to allow myself to not be locked into wearing men's clothes, things kind of opened up. It feels very kind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/when-i-started-to-allow-myself-to-not-be-locked-into-wearing-men-s/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I'm pretty sure I would have managed to over-share no matter what time period I was born in. It's a family thing, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-m-pretty-sure-i-would-have-managed-to-over-share-no-matter-what/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) [Explore all 99 Perfume Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) ## More Homophobic quotes > [I think, even though homophobia still exists, there is much more of a dialogue and a taboo around being homophobic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/i-think-even-though-homophobia-still-exists-there-is-much-more-of-a/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [Hip-hop is contributing to American society's misogyny and racism, hyper-sexuality anti-Black representations. Hip-Hop isn't setting the standard for misogyny. No one reduces the presidency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakari-kitwana/hip-hop-is-contributing-to-american-society-s-misogyny-and-racism/) [Bakari Kitwana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakari-kitwana/) > [I think the record industry, by and large what's left of it, is still totally homophobic. I think it's much less so in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-gore/i-think-the-record-industry-by-and-large-what-s-left-of-it-is-still/) [Lesley Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-gore/) > [To stand together against homophobic, sexist, misogynistic, anti-Semitic and racist agendas. I’m an optimist and I can’t help but feel hopeful about the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/to-stand-together-against-homophobic-sexist-misogynistic-anti-semitic/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [You're not homophobic for thinking that something gay is bad. All gay movies are bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katya-zamolodchikova/you-re-not-homophobic-for-thinking-that-something-gay-is-bad-all-gay/) [Katya Zamolodchikova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katya-zamolodchikova/) > [I don't think I'm a gay icon. I have no axe to grind. I mean, I'm clearly not homophobic! I'm not pro or con.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-o/i-don-t-think-i-m-a-gay-icon-i-have-no-axe-to-grind-i-mean-i-m/) [Steve-O](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-o/) > [I used to be homophobic, but as I got older, I realized that wasn't the way to do things. I don't discriminate against anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asap-rocky/i-used-to-be-homophobic-but-as-i-got-older-i-realized-that-wasn-t-the/) [ASAP Rocky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asap-rocky/) > [Being gay is not a choice. Being homophobic is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-gay-is-not-a-choice-being-homophobic-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Regardless of who I dated, Valentino always stuck by me. It was one of those things I also learned about during college. People, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senayda-pierre/regardless-of-who-i-dated-valentino-always-stuck-by-me-it-was-one-of/) [Senayda Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senayda-pierre/) > [I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/i-would-refuse-to-go-to-a-homophobic-heaven/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [“I'm gay." "Oh. Of course." Immediately, Martin regretted saying "of course". He should have acted surprised. People are flattered if you act surprised when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/i-m-gay-oh-of-course-immediately-martin-regretted-saying-of-course-he/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [I'm 100 million percent not homophobic. I despise that label being attached to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-arthur/i-m-100-million-percent-not-homophobic-i-despise-that-label-being/) [James Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-arthur/) > [And why is it "homophobic" for Senate Republicans to look askance at sex in public bathrooms? Is the Times claiming that sodomy in public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/and-why-is-it-homophobic-for-senate-republicans-to-look-askance-at/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I'm not homophobic at all and I have a lot of gay friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-rice/i-m-not-homophobic-at-all-and-i-have-a-lot-of-gay-friends/) [Stephanie Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-rice/) > [“Joe. This shit started because of me confronting the dude who threatened to out Simeon. You think I’m stupid enough to trust someone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santino-hassell/joe-this-shit-started-because-of-me-confronting-the-dude-who/) [Santino Hassell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santino-hassell/) Browse all 171 Homophobic quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've known that people were racist and misogynistic and homophobic since I was very little.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Perfume Genius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-misogynistic-and-homophobic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Homophobic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-misogynistic-and-homophobic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/perfume-genius-6519_homophobic_i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-m_457278.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/perfume-genius-6519_homophobic_i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-m_457278.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/perfume-genius-6519_homophobic_i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-m_457278.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've known that people were racist and misogynistic and homophobic since I was very little.” — Perfume Genius", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Perfume Genius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've known that people were racist...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-misogynistic-and-homophobic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-misogynistic-and-homophobic/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```