--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being LGBT is not a choice. It's not…" description: "\"Being LGBT is not a choice. It's not about \"a sexual proclivity.\" It's not a \"lifestyle,\" as you put it. It's about our identity. Pride is a time when ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13c/steven-petrow-20998_celebrate_being-lgbt-is-not-a-choice-it-s-not-abou_2688459.jpg" --- # Being LGBT is not a choice. It's not about "a sexual… ![“Being LGBT is not a choice. It's not about "a sexual proclivity." It's not a "lifestyle," as you put it. It's about our identity. Pride is a time when we come together to celebrate our community and when others do, too. Just as we do for other racial, ethnic, and religious groups that are part of…” quote by Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13c/steven-petrow-20998_celebrate_being-lgbt-is-not-a-choice-it-s-not-abou_2688459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13c/steven-petrow-20998_celebrate_being-lgbt-is-not-a-choice-it-s-not-abou_2688459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13c/steven-petrow-20998_celebrate_being-lgbt-is-not-a-choice-it-s-not-abou_2688459.jpg) > “Being LGBT is not a choice. It's not about "a sexual proclivity." It's not a "lifestyle," as you put it. It's about our identity. Pride is a time when we come together to celebrate our community and when others do, too. Just as we do for other racial, ethnic, and religious groups that are part of the "tossed salad" nature of our society.” [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity is inherent, not a preference; pride celebrates community like other cultural groups. **In simple terms:** Identity isn’t chosen; pride celebrates community. Key Takeaway Support and celebrate LGBTQ+ identities. Themes identity pride community equality diversity Mood hopeful determined Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - workplace policies - school curricula - public events - media representation Key Concepts human rights social inclusion Questions to Reflect On - How can allies better support LGBTQ+ visibility? - What role does pride play in societal acceptance? A Different Perspective Some view identity as a choice, hindering acceptance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Homosexuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homosexuality/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Lgbt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lgbt/) [Lifestyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifestyle/) [Our society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-society/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) ## Related quotes > [One's worth and self-regard ought to come from individual competitive performance, not from group identity. Pride based on clan or tribal connections is atavistic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-henry-iii/one-s-worth-and-self-regard-ought-to-come-from-individual-competitive/) [William A. 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We are community planters and, as we work in our communities, we join local churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-re-not-church-planters-we-are-community-planters-and-as-we-work-in/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [I'm grateful to Kroger for investing in our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/i-m-grateful-to-kroger-for-investing-in-our-community/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [My parents don't care what Americans think of us; we just care what the other Indian people in our community think of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshu-suri/my-parents-don-t-care-what-americans-think-of-us-we-just-care-what/) [Himanshu Suri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshu-suri/) ## More by Steven Petrow > [More people use guns to kill themselves than to kill others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/more-people-use-guns-to-kill-themselves-than-to-kill-others/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [Putting our heads in the sand is not a wise strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/putting-our-heads-in-the-sand-is-not-a-wise-strategy/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [Rely on facts, figures, principles of equality and fairness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/rely-on-facts-figures-principles-of-equality-and-fairness/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [You do not need to be female to be offended.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/you-do-not-need-to-be-female-to-be-offended/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [The right to be married was hard earned by the marriage equality movement and one of its "perks" is the right to use the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/the-right-to-be-married-was-hard-earned-by-the-marriage-equality/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [The murkiness of Donald Trump's position is really what distinguishes him from other Republican nominees and contenders who have been steadfast in their opposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/the-murkiness-of-donald-trump-s-position-is-really-what-distinguishes/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [You know, my goal is not to convince you that I'm right or that you're wrong. 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If you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/to-parents-who-find-a-child-s-disclosure-about-sexual-or-gender/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [When someone transitions you should refer to them by their new name both in the present and with references back in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/when-someone-transitions-you-should-refer-to-them-by-their-new-name/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [As for LGBTQ people supporting Donald Trump (or other Republicans), I do understand that some of them value his stances on immigration, climate change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/as-for-lgbtq-people-supporting-donald-trump-or-other-republicans-i-do/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [A big question that we have is that we do not understand why the comfort of the few should override the comfort of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/a-big-question-that-we-have-is-that-we-do-not-understand-why-the/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [Most pedophiles are straight not gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/most-pedophiles-are-straight-not-gay/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [I'll tell you what gives me hope. 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Why do some people consider civility an antonym - anathema, even -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/okay-so-here-s-my-question-when-did-civility-become-incompatible-with/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) [Explore all 30 Steven Petrow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) ## More Celebrate quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [Spiritually, life is a festival, a celebration. 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But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/trying-to-find-this-industry-s-tendency-to-celebrate-the-physical-is/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [On Valentine's Day, couples in Calgary can celebrate their love for each other with couples' nude yoga - great way to get in shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/on-valentine-s-day-couples-in-calgary-can-celebrate-their-love-for/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [No matter what day we celebrate Australia Day, let's celebrate it together and give thanks to the original inhabitants of this vast country. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/no-matter-what-day-we-celebrate-australia-day-let-s-celebrate-it/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [I'm not so much in the future as always in the present. The future always takes care of itself. What I do now with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-mekas/i-m-not-so-much-in-the-future-as-always-in-the-present-the-future/) [Jonas Mekas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-mekas/) > [Birth, life, death is a cycle. And they're all beautiful, you celebrate all of them. Animals do grieve, but they move on. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/birth-life-death-is-a-cycle-and-they-re-all-beautiful-you-celebrate/) [Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/) > [I just wanted to jump into the stands and start celebrating with those wonderful fans. (on reaching the Champions League final)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-gerrard/i-just-wanted-to-jump-into-the-stands-and-start-celebrating-with/) [Steven Gerrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-gerrard/) > [What I have found is, so much of that is like a Chinese finger trap: the more you play to the dark, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-palmer/what-i-have-found-is-so-much-of-that-is-like-a-chinese-finger-trap/) [Amanda Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-palmer/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [While we celebrate our diversity, what surprises me time and time again as I travel around the constituency is that we are far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/while-we-celebrate-our-diversity-what-surprises-me-time-and-time/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [I feel like the downfall of any person is the second an artist starts celebrating their work themselves, that becomes problematic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/questlove/i-feel-like-the-downfall-of-any-person-is-the-second-an-artist-starts/) [Questlove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/questlove/) Browse all 2,313 Celebrate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being LGBT is not a choice. It's not about \"a sexual proclivity.\" It's not a \"lifestyle,\" as you put it. It's about our identity. 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