Burden Quote by Quentin Crisp
“My outlook was so limited that I assumed that all deviates were openly despised and rejected. Their grief and their fear drew my melancholy nature strongly. At first I only wanted to wallow in their misery, but, as time went by, I longed to reach its very essence. Finally I desired to represent it. By this process I managed to shift homosexuality from being a burden to being a cause. The weight lifted and some of the guilt evaporated.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Naked Civil Servant by Quentin Crisp, 1968
The narrator transforms personal prejudice into empathy, redefining homosexuality from a stigma to a purpose, reducing guilt and burden.
In simple terms: Changing view turns burden into purpose.
Key Takeaway
Embrace empathy to shift stigma.
Themes
identity
empathy
transformation
stigma
self‑acceptance
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
inspirational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- activism
- community building
- mental health support
Key Concepts
psychology
social change
self‑reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- How can empathy reshape societal views?
- What steps help turn personal guilt into purpose?
A Different Perspective
Stigma may persist despite personal change.
