--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because I hate that word. Like being gay…" description: "\"“Because I hate that word. Like being gay is something to be ashamed of. Like because Mer likes sports, it automatically makes her a lesbian. That insu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/stephanie-perkins-482_insult_because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay_526904.png" --- # Because I hate that word. Like being gay is something to… ![“Because I hate that word. Like being gay is something to be ashamed of. Like because Mer likes sports, it automatically makes her a lesbian. That insult doesn't even make sense.” quote by Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/stephanie-perkins-482_insult_because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay_526904.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/stephanie-perkins-482_insult_because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay_526904.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/stephanie-perkins-482_insult_because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay_526904.png) > ““Because I hate that word. Like being gay is something to be ashamed of. Like because Mer likes sports, it automatically makes her a lesbian. That insult doesn't even make sense.”” [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects shameful labeling, highlighting that identity isn’t defined by stereotypes **In simple terms:** Identity isn’t determined by stereotypes or assumptions Key Takeaway Reject harmful labels and embrace authentic self Themes identity stigma acceptance Mood defiant empathetic Type social personal When to use this quote - school environment - online communities - family discussions - media representation Key Concepts gender studies social psychology Questions to Reflect On - What stereotypes affect you personally? - How can you support others facing identity stigma? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated biases takes time and effort ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I'm openly gay, and I'm not ashamed of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/i-m-openly-gay-and-i-m-not-ashamed-of-it/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [I never felt I had anything to hide. I never felt being gay was anything to be ashamed of, so I never felt apologetic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martina-navratilova/i-never-felt-i-had-anything-to-hide-i-never-felt-being-gay-was/) [Martina Navratilova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martina-navratilova/) > [Being gay is something to be ashamed of. That they will never be as good a parent as a heterosexual person. Which is rubbish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-gay-is-something-to-be-ashamed-of-that-they-will-never-be-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My friends always said we like you for you, and we don't just like you as 'the gay kid.' Knowing that would always make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-jones/my-friends-always-said-we-like-you-for-you-and-we-don-t-just-like-you/) Greg Jones > [Daddy always said If boys don't like you, they are gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/daddy-always-said-if-boys-don-t-like-you-they-are-gay/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm for all kinds of gay rights. I'm almost like a gay man myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nene-leakes/i-m-for-all-kinds-of-gay-rights-i-m-almost-like-a-gay-man-myself/) [NeNe Leakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nene-leakes/) > [I’m not unsympathetic. But do you like me? Because this being gay business doesn’t mean you can just throw yourself at any guy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-m-not-unsympathetic-but-do-you-like-me-because-this-being-gay/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I use my mom’s shampoo sometimes,” I blurt out. “I know I shouldn’t. I know it’s lady shampoo. But it smells better than mine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-johnson/i-use-my-mom-s-shampoo-sometimes-i-blurt-out-i-know-i-shouldn-t-i/) [Hannah Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-johnson/) > [If you don't like gay marriage, blame it on straight people. They're the ones who keep having gay babies!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-like-gay-marriage-blame-it-on-straight-people-they-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me without you is like a gay guy without style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-without-you-is-like-a-gay-guy-without-style/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If You don't like Gay Marriage, Don't Marry a Gay Person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/if-you-don-t-like-gay-marriage-don-t-marry-a-gay-person/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [I don’t feel like a gay icon. I don’t feel like an icon at all. Every single interview was always, ‘What’s it like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/i-don-t-feel-like-a-gay-icon-i-don-t-feel-like-an-icon-at-all-every/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [“Justice. The man was built like a gay man’s ultimate fantasy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cox/justice-the-man-was-built-like-a-gay-man-s-ultimate-fantasy/) [James Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cox/) > [Lesbian humor is nothing like gay men's humor. We're sillier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jordan/lesbian-humor-is-nothing-like-gay-men-s-humor-we-re-sillier/) [Leslie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jordan/) > [I've heard people tell me there's never been a gay character like Agron on TV before, and some fans have even thanked me because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-feuerriegel/i-ve-heard-people-tell-me-there-s-never-been-a-gay-character-like/) [Dan Feuerriegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-feuerriegel/) ## More by Stephanie Perkins > [“This warmth over the telephone. Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place? Bridgette used to be home to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/this-warmth-over-the-telephone-is-it-possible-for-home-to-be-a-person/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“I wasn't being a git. I wasn't even being a twat, or a wanker, or any of your other bleeding Briticisms -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-wasn-t-being-a-git-i-wasn-t-even-being-a-twat-or-a-wanker-or-any-of/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“You said on my birthday that you were afraid of being alone, but I’ve been here this whole time. This whole time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/you-said-on-my-birthday-that-you-were-afraid-of-being-alone-but-i-ve/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Lola: Do you think things have to be easy? For it to work? Cricket: NO. I mean, yes, but... sometimes there are... extenuating circumstances.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/lola-do-you-think-things-have-to-be-easy-for-it-to-work-cricket-no-i/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Sometimes a mistake isn't a what. It's a who.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/sometimes-a-mistake-isn-t-a-what-it-s-a-who/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“And that. Why don’t you call me Étienne anymore?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/and-that-why-don-t-you-call-me-tienne-anymore/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Thanks. I forgot how to flip off the English. I'll use the correct hand gesture next time." "My pleasure. Always happy to educate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/thanks-i-forgot-how-to-flip-off-the-english-i-ll-use-the-correct-hand/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Beautiful. He called me beautiful! But wait. I don't like Dave. Do I like Dave?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/beautiful-he-called-me-beautiful-but-wait-i-don-t-like-dave-do-i-like/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“You can't undo loss. You can't unmake a mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/you-can-t-undo-loss-you-can-t-unmake-a-mistake/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“They didn’t talk much, but their silence was companionable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/they-didn-t-talk-much-but-their-silence-was-companionable/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“We're enveloped in pitch black. "Wait here," I whisper. "Are you getting your ax?" "Handcuffs." "Kinky. But, okay, I'll try it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/we-re-enveloped-in-pitch-black-wait-here-i-whisper-are-you-getting/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“And, suddenly, I want to touch him. Not a push, or a shove, or even a friendly hug. I want to feel the creases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/and-suddenly-i-want-to-touch-him-not-a-push-or-a-shove-or-even-a/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“My face is round, and my cheeks are pinchable, and my ears stick out farther than I'd like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/my-face-is-round-and-my-cheeks-are-pinchable-and-my-ears-stick-out/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“There's something about blue eyes. The kind of blue that startles you every time they're lifted in your direction. The kind of blue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/there-s-something-about-blue-eyes-the-kind-of-blue-that-startles-you/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“I'm a little distracted by this English French American Boy Masterpiece.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-m-a-little-distracted-by-this-english-french-american-boy/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) [Explore all 500 Stephanie Perkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) ## More Insult quotes > [It seems an insult to nature and to the Creator to imagine that pregnancy was ever intended to be a sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-bisbee-duffey/it-seems-an-insult-to-nature-and-to-the-creator-to-imagine-that/) Eliza Bisbee Duffey > [What greater insult can you give God than to take your own life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thibodeau/what-greater-insult-can-you-give-god-than-to-take-your-own-life/) [David Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thibodeau/) > [If people in Indonesia look 'different', they are afraid. Racist insults fly if someone does not look like part of the majority. Indonesia is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-vltchek/if-people-in-indonesia-look-different-they-are-afraid-racist-insults/) [Andre Vltchek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-vltchek/) > [You cannot insult the faith of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/you-cannot-insult-the-faith-of-others/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [We are searching for the same thing,” Stripey said. “How do you know?” Janco asked. “I read his mind.” The Sitian pointed to Ari.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/we-are-searching-for-the-same-thing-stripey-said-how-do-you-know/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [Don't insult me today just because I'm poor, you don't know what my future holds!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kamkwamba/don-t-insult-me-today-just-because-i-m-poor-you-don-t-know-what-my/) [William Kamkwamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kamkwamba/) > [If you take the the insults of your fellow human beings personally, you will be offended for the rest of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-take-the-the-insults-of-your-fellow-human-beings-personally/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [No one seems to have learned, or can remember, the magic words that calm people when they are frightened or threatened: "I'm sorry; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-tavris/no-one-seems-to-have-learned-or-can-remember-the-magic-words-that/) [Carol Tavris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-tavris/) > [If the estimated age of the cosmos were shortened to seventy-two years, a human life would take about ten seconds. But look at time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-grudin/if-the-estimated-age-of-the-cosmos-were-shortened-to-seventy-two/) [Robert Grudin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-grudin/) > [He had long ago learned that society imposes insults that must be borne, comforted by the knowledge that in this world there comes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-puzo/he-had-long-ago-learned-that-society-imposes-insults-that-must-be/) [Mario Puzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-puzo/) > [I'm not sure why we want each other," she grumbled. "Nor am I, but the fact remains that we do want each other." "Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/i-m-not-sure-why-we-want-each-other-she-grumbled-nor-am-i-but-the/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [Where I came from, just nodding and smiling when someone expressed views was the ultimate insult. If people weren't yelling about politics in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezekiel-emanuel/where-i-came-from-just-nodding-and-smiling-when-someone-expressed/) [Ezekiel Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezekiel-emanuel/) > [They always use the word 'insult' with me, but I don't hurt anybody. I wouldn't be sitting here if I did. I make fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/they-always-use-the-word-insult-with-me-but-i-don-t-hurt-anybody-i/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“Doyle: "What is it now, then?" Cordelia: "Isn't java supposed to be a coffee?" Doyle: "Ready to abandon the the Web project?" Cordelia: "No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-passarella/doyle-what-is-it-now-then-cordelia-isn-t-java-supposed-to-be-a-coffee/) John Passarella > [I admit that invective is one of my pleasures. This only brings me problems in life, but that's it. I attack, I insult. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/i-admit-that-invective-is-one-of-my-pleasures-this-only-brings-me/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) Browse all 1,523 Insult quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Because I hate that word. Like being gay is something to be ashamed of. Like because Mer likes sports, it automatically makes her a lesbian. That insult doesn't even make sense.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephanie Perkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay-is-something-to-be-ashamed-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Insult" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay-is-something-to-be-ashamed-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/stephanie-perkins-482_insult_because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay_526904.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/stephanie-perkins-482_insult_because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay_526904.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/626/stephanie-perkins-482_insult_because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay_526904.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Because I hate that word. Like being gay is something to be ashamed of. Like because Mer likes sports, it…” — Stephanie Perkins", "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": "Stephanie Perkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Because I hate that word. Like...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay-is-something-to-be-ashamed-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/because-i-hate-that-word-like-being-gay-is-something-to-be-ashamed-of/#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 } } ] } ```