--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't want the responsibility, I…" description: "\"I didn't want the responsibility, I didn't know how to handle the responsibility of speaking for the gay community. I always felt like I owed them a hu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/sean-hayes-8488_apology_i-didn-t-want-the-responsibility-i-didn_2609494.jpg" --- # I didn't want the responsibility, I didn't know how to… ![“I didn't want the responsibility, I didn't know how to handle the responsibility of speaking for the gay community. I always felt like I owed them a huge apology for coming out too late.” quote by Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/sean-hayes-8488_apology_i-didn-t-want-the-responsibility-i-didn_2609494.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/sean-hayes-8488_apology_i-didn-t-want-the-responsibility-i-didn_2609494.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38e/sean-hayes-8488_apology_i-didn-t-want-the-responsibility-i-didn_2609494.jpg) > “I didn't want the responsibility, I didn't know how to handle the responsibility of speaking for the gay community. I always felt like I owed them a huge apology for coming out too late.” [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling unprepared to speak for a community, he worries about past timing and perceived obligations. **In simple terms:** He feels guilty for not speaking sooner. Key Takeaway Own your voice, regardless of timing. Themes responsibility identity representation Mood thoughtful empathetic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - public speaking - advocacy - personal accountability Key Concepts activism guilt timing Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take now to support the community? - How does timing affect responsibility? A Different Perspective Guilt may paralyze action rather than motivate it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Huge Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/huge-apology-2015663/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsibility Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility-didn-645983/) [Responsibility Speaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility-speaking-2015664/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Want Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-responsibility-480121/) ## Related quotes > [“If there’s any chance of salvaging things between us—and I must be crazy to even consider that—you need to start off with a huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/if-there-s-any-chance-of-salvaging-things-between-us-and-i-must-be/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [I don’t think Will Herondale and a sense of responsibility are even on speaking terms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-don-t-think-will-herondale-and-a-sense-of-responsibility-are-even/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I didn't start off with the responsibility because I didn't think anybody would care. But as you do meet these people influenced by your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-didn-t-start-off-with-the-responsibility-because-i-didn-t-think/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [We were told, no, you don't do. There was this high standard of morals and a sense of responsibility. That didn't mean that everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-c-driskell/we-were-told-no-you-don-t-do-there-was-this-high-standard-of-morals/) [David C. Driskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-c-driskell/) > [If you do the job out there on the pitch and you have it under control, as in my case, you want more. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-lahm/if-you-do-the-job-out-there-on-the-pitch-and-you-have-it-under/) [Philipp Lahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-lahm/) > [Blame is a neat little device that you can use whenever you don't want to take responsibility for something in your life. Use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/blame-is-a-neat-little-device-that-you-can-use-whenever-you-don-t/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [I want responsibility. It allows me to make the right decision, to manage things. I know I will make the right decisions because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardik-pandya/i-want-responsibility-it-allows-me-to-make-the-right-decision-to/) [Hardik Pandya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardik-pandya/) > [I think associate director jobs are the best in the world, because you can do what you want and not have to take responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/i-think-associate-director-jobs-are-the-best-in-the-world-because-you/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [“Also, he might want you to take responsibility by becoming his wife. Look at how pretty you are-you'd make a decent foster bride”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rou-bao-bu-chi-rou/also-he-might-want-you-to-take-responsibility-by-becoming-his-wife/) [Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rou-bao-bu-chi-rou/) > [Wherever you are, be there totally. If you find your here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/wherever-you-are-be-there-totally-if-you-find-your-here-and-now/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Me, I don’t want any children, I don’t want responsibility. I am gay, I smoke weed and I do exactly what I want in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/me-i-don-t-want-any-children-i-don-t-want-responsibility-i-am-gay-i/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [Sometimes people look to others for answers they can find within themselves. I don't really want the responsibility of being the guy they look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/sometimes-people-look-to-others-for-answers-they-can-find-within/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I would never want the responsibility of being the prettiest girl on screen; it's too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumer-willis/i-would-never-want-the-responsibility-of-being-the-prettiest-girl-on/) [Rumer Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumer-willis/) > [If you don't want responsibility, don't sit in the big chair. To be successful, you must accept full responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/if-you-don-t-want-responsibility-don-t-sit-in-the-big-chair-to-be/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [I don't think I would want the responsibility for enforcing the death penalties. There's always the inevitable question of whether someone you gave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-don-t-think-i-would-want-the-responsibility-for-enforcing-the-death/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) ## More by Sean Hayes > [I love showing people that I wasn't that guy, the guy in 'Will & Grace.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-love-showing-people-that-i-wasn-t-that-guy-the-guy-in-will-grace/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I live my life like an 85-year-old man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-live-my-life-like-an-85-year-old-man/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [My job was to play my character in the best way that I could, and hopefully people will enjoy that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/my-job-was-to-play-my-character-in-the-best-way-that-i-could-and/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I'm so boring and grounded, and I like quiet, and I like structure, and I like goals. I couldn't be more opposite from Jack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-m-so-boring-and-grounded-and-i-like-quiet-and-i-like-structure-and/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [When I came out of my mom's womb, I had 'sitcom' stamped on my forehead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/when-i-came-out-of-my-mom-s-womb-i-had-sitcom-stamped-on-my-forehead/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [You don't have a face to work with, so your voice has to do all the work until you see the animation. So, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/you-don-t-have-a-face-to-work-with-so-your-voice-has-to-do-all-the/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I felt like I couldn't fully be myself and accepted in my family, so I would lock myself in my room on a Saturday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-felt-like-i-couldn-t-fully-be-myself-and-accepted-in-my-family-so-i/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [This isn't a dig on journalists, but people like to write about the 'death of blank.' The death of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/this-isn-t-a-dig-on-journalists-but-people-like-to-write-about-the/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I was anxious to get back to my life before 'Will & Grace.' You do need that time to find who you are again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-was-anxious-to-get-back-to-my-life-before-will-grace-you-do-need/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I felt so much pressure to come out on other people's terms, you know? I should have come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-felt-so-much-pressure-to-come-out-on-other-people-s-terms-you-know/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I feel like I've contributed monumentally to the success of the gay movement in America, and if anyone wants to argue that, I'm open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-feel-like-i-ve-contributed-monumentally-to-the-success-of-the-gay/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I was buttoned up as a kid. I did what I was told and never broke the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-was-buttoned-up-as-a-kid-i-did-what-i-was-told-and-never-broke-the/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I think because my life is so insane and it's constantly going at 120 miles per hour, my favorite thing to do is sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-think-because-my-life-is-so-insane-and-it-s-constantly-going-at-120/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [The writers have slowly taken the show, with subjects other gay shows have dived right into, slowly. It was over a year before Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/the-writers-have-slowly-taken-the-show-with-subjects-other-gay-shows/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I grew up; I had a couple of dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-grew-up-i-had-a-couple-of-dogs/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) [Explore all 80 Sean Hayes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) ## More Apology quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) [Elizabeth Tambascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-tambascio/) > [It's hard to say sorry when It's really your fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakii-retondo/it-s-hard-to-say-sorry-when-it-s-really-your-fault/) [Rakii Retondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakii-retondo/) > [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/) [Allison Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pataki/) > [And apologies, once postponed, become harder and harder to make, and finally impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/and-apologies-once-postponed-become-harder-and-harder-to-make-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/) [Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/) > [If I can get enough signatures, to present an apology to slavery, I will present it to the President. The House of Representatives has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/if-i-can-get-enough-signatures-to-present-an-apology-to-slavery-i/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [“I don’t care if you’ve changed. I don’t care who you are now. I don’t need or want your explanations because what you did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/i-don-t-care-if-you-ve-changed-i-don-t-care-who-you-are-now-i-don-t/) [Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/) > [I never said Kristen ruined my wedding. At the time, when a million other things had fallen apart that day, I felt like she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/i-never-said-kristen-ruined-my-wedding-at-the-time-when-a-million/) [Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/) > [The greatest form of maturity is at harvest time. This is when we must learn how to reap without complaint if the amounts are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-greatest-form-of-maturity-is-at-harvest-time-this-is-when-we-must/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“It's clear he still feels something, but what? Is the whole reason he made such a big deal about wanting to talk to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-heywood/it-s-clear-he-still-feels-something-but-what-is-the-whole-reason-he/) [Carey Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-heywood/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [For every person who atones, a hundred others find regret sufficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/for-every-person-who-atones-a-hundred-others-find-regret-sufficient/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) [Browse all 1,300 Apology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't want the responsibility, I didn't know how to handle the responsibility of speaking for the gay community. 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