--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not my responsibility to be…" description: "\"It's not my responsibility to be Beautiful, I'm NOT alive for that purpose. My existence is NOT how desirable you find me.\" — Warsan Shire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c40/warsan-shire-7647_alive_it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautif_1061914.jpg" --- # It's not my responsibility to be Beautiful, I'm NOT alive… ![“It's not my responsibility to be Beautiful, I'm NOT alive for that purpose. My existence is NOT how desirable you find me.” quote by Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c40/warsan-shire-7647_alive_it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautif_1061914.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c40/warsan-shire-7647_alive_it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautif_1061914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c40/warsan-shire-7647_alive_it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautif_1061914.jpg) > “It's not my responsibility to be Beautiful, I'm NOT alive for that purpose. My existence is NOT how desirable you find me.” [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) ## 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 societal expectations of beauty, asserting self‑worth independent of external approval. **In simple terms:** I’m not here to be beautiful. Key Takeaway Define identity beyond appearance. Themes self‑acceptance beauty standards identity Mood defiant empowered Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - social media - dating - career - family life Key Concepts feminist theory body politics Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect yourself from judgment? - What values define your self‑worth? A Different Perspective External pressure can still affect self‑image despite resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [It is never until one realizes that one means something to others that one feels there is any point or purpose in one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/it-is-never-until-one-realizes-that-one-means-something-to-others/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [I’m not sad, but the boys who are looking for sad girls always find me. I’m not a girl anymore and I’m not sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/i-m-not-sad-but-the-boys-who-are-looking-for-sad-girls-always-find-me/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Every mouth you’ve ever kissed was just practice. All the bodies you’ve ever undressed and ploughed in to were preparing you for me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/every-mouth-you-ve-ever-kissed-was-just-practice-all-the-bodies-you/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“...the best way to know the Truth or Beauty is to try to express it. And what is the purpose of existence Here or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-ueland/the-best-way-to-know-the-truth-or-beauty-is-to-try-to-express-it-and/) [Brenda Ueland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-ueland/) > [The question, "What is the purpose thereof?" cannot be asked about anything which is not the product of an agent; therefore we cannot ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/the-question-what-is-the-purpose-thereof-cannot-be-asked-about/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [The purpose of your existence is yours alone to discover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/the-purpose-of-your-existence-is-yours-alone-to-discover/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [The whole purpose of existence is to bring love into existence where it is needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-long/the-whole-purpose-of-existence-is-to-bring-love-into-existence-where/) [Barry Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-long/) > [“We still need to give our best to life even if we do not understand the purpose of our existence on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janvier-chouteu-chando/we-still-need-to-give-our-best-to-life-even-if-we-do-not-understand/) [Janvier Chouteu-Chando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janvier-chouteu-chando/) > [“Joy is our purpose of existence.   Yet pain in life is inevitable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ebookit-com/joy-is-our-purpose-of-existence-yet-pain-in-life-is-inevitable/) eBookIt.com > [In a century or two, or in a millennium, people will live in a new way, a happier way. We won"t be there to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/in-a-century-or-two-or-in-a-millennium-people-will-live-in-a-new-way/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [I found the purpose of my existence, and also the purpose of my circumstance. There's a purpose for why you're in the fire. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/i-found-the-purpose-of-my-existence-and-also-the-purpose-of-my/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [The man who is happy is fulfilling the purpose of existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/the-man-who-is-happy-is-fulfilling-the-purpose-of-existence/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [The purpose of existence is to exist. It is too fantastic to have a meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/the-purpose-of-existence-is-to-exist-it-is-too-fantastic-to-have-a/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [We live that our souls may grow. The development of the soul is the purpose of existence. God Almighty is trying to obtain some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-g-lake/we-live-that-our-souls-may-grow-the-development-of-the-soul-is-the/) [John G. Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-g-lake/) > [A man has no right to be alive if he has no purpose for existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-has-no-right-to-be-alive-if-he-has-no-purpose-for-existence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Warsan Shire > [You are terrifying, and strange, and beautiful. Something not everyone knows how to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/you-are-terrifying-and-strange-and-beautiful-something-not-everyone/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“the year of letting go, of understanding loss. grace. of the word ‘no’ and also being able to say ‘you are not kind’. the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/the-year-of-letting-go-of-understanding-loss-grace-of-the-word-no-and/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [How far have you walked for men who've never held your feet in their laps?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/how-far-have-you-walked-for-men-who-ve-never-held-your-feet-in-their/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [And you tried to change, didnt you? Closed your mouth more. Tried to be softer, prettier, less volatile, less awake¦ You cant make homes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/and-you-tried-to-change-didnt-you-closed-your-mouth-more-tried-to-be/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [I’m overwhelmed. My biggest downfall is my brightest blessing, I feel too much, all the time. Ya Allah, if it’ll keep my heart soft,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/i-m-overwhelmed-my-biggest-downfall-is-my-brightest-blessing-i-feel/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“you were like an ulcer on the inside of my cheek that my tongue could not stop touching. loving you was like watching a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/you-were-like-an-ulcer-on-the-inside-of-my-cheek-that-my-tongue-could/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Essentially, if our secrets are secrets because we are told to be ashamed, then we must share them. There is no shame in being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/essentially-if-our-secrets-are-secrets-because-we-are-told-to-be/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself - what you're wearing, who you're around, what you're doing. Recreate and repeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/document-the-moments-you-feel-most-in-love-with-yourself-what-you-re/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“Loving you was like going to war; I never came back the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/loving-you-was-like-going-to-war-i-never-came-back-the-same/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Every mouth you’ve ever kissed was just practice. All the bodies you’ve ever undressed and ploughed in to were preparing you for me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/every-mouth-you-ve-ever-kissed-was-just-practice-all-the-bodies-you/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [My alone feels so good, I'll only have you if you're sweeter than my solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/my-alone-feels-so-good-i-ll-only-have-you-if-you-re-sweeter-than-my/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“i give myself five days to forget you. on the first day i rust. on the second i wilt. on the third day i…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/i-give-myself-five-days-to-forget-you-on-the-first-day-i-rust-on-the/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Mother says there are locked rooms inside all women, kitchen of love, bedroom of grief, bathroom of apathy. Sometimes, the men, they come with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/mother-says-there-are-locked-rooms-inside-all-women-kitchen-of-love/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [Perhaps, the problem is not the intensity of your love, but the quality of the people you are loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/perhaps-the-problem-is-not-the-intensity-of-your-love-but-the-quality/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [“I did not beg him to stay because I was begging God that he would not leave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/i-did-not-beg-him-to-stay-because-i-was-begging-god-that-he-would-not/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) [Explore all 89 Warsan Shire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not my responsibility to be Beautiful, I'm NOT alive for that purpose. My existence is NOT how desirable you find me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Warsan Shire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautiful-i-m-not-alive-for-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautiful-i-m-not-alive-for-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c40/warsan-shire-7647_alive_it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautif_1061914.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c40/warsan-shire-7647_alive_it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautif_1061914.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c40/warsan-shire-7647_alive_it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautif_1061914.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's not my responsibility to be Beautiful, I'm NOT alive for that purpose. My existence is NOT how…” — Warsan Shire", "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": "Warsan Shire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's not my responsibility to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautiful-i-m-not-alive-for-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/it-s-not-my-responsibility-to-be-beautiful-i-m-not-alive-for-that/#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 } } ] } ```