--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There can be no doubt that our Nation has…" description: "\"There can be no doubt that our Nation has had a long and unfortunate history of sex discrimination. Traditionally, such discrimination was rationalized..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/william-j-brennan-15212_attitude_there-can-be-no-doubt-that-our-nation-ha_2757909.jpg" --- # There can be no doubt that our Nation has had a long and… ![“There can be no doubt that our Nation has had a long and unfortunate history of sex discrimination. Traditionally, such discrimination was rationalized by an attitude of "romantic paternalism" which, in practical effect, put women, not on a pedestal, but in a cage.” quote by William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/william-j-brennan-15212_attitude_there-can-be-no-doubt-that-our-nation-ha_2757909.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/william-j-brennan-15212_attitude_there-can-be-no-doubt-that-our-nation-ha_2757909.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f6/william-j-brennan-15212_attitude_there-can-be-no-doubt-that-our-nation-ha_2757909.jpg) > “There can be no doubt that our Nation has had a long and unfortunate history of sex discrimination. Traditionally, such discrimination was rationalized by an attitude of "romantic paternalism" which, in practical effect, put women, not on a pedestal, but in a cage.” [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical sex discrimination stemmed from paternalistic attitudes that confined women. **In simple terms:** Past discrimination treated women as caged, not honored. Key Takeaway Challenge lingering paternalistic mindsets. Themes gender equality law history Mood serious hopeful Type legal social When to use this quote - legal reform - workplace policy - education campaigns Key Concepts feminist theory civil rights Questions to Reflect On - How can we dismantle paternalism today? - What role does law play in gender equity? A Different Perspective Progress can be slow despite legal advances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Cages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cages/) [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Discrimination Rationalized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination-rationalized-1291130/) [Discrimination Traditionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination-traditionally-1291132/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effects/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [No doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-doubt/) [Paternalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paternalism/) [Pedestal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pedestal/) [Practicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practicals/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Sex discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex-discrimination/) [Traditionally Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditionally-discrimination-1291133/) [Unfortunate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfortunate/) ## Related quotes > [“Our nation had had a long and unfortunate history of sex discrimination. Traditionally, such discrimination was rationalized by an attitude of romantic paternalism, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-nation-had-had-a-long-and-unfortunate-history-of-sex/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Slavery wasn’t a crisis for British and American elites until abolitionism turned it into one. Racial discrimination wasn’t a crisis until the civil rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/slavery-wasn-t-a-crisis-for-british-and-american-elites-until/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The division yin and yang pervades all culture, history, economics, nature itself; modern Western versions of sex discrimination are only the most recent layer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulamith-firestone/the-division-yin-and-yang-pervades-all-culture-history-economics/) [Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulamith-firestone/) > [I do not see that the sex of the candidate is an argument against her admission as a Privatdozent. After all, the Senate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/i-do-not-see-that-the-sex-of-the-candidate-is-an-argument-against-her/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Like all citizens, Ms. McNeill has the right to be free from unlawful employment practices such as sex discrimination and retaliation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkins/like-all-citizens-ms-mcneill-has-the-right-to-be-free-from-unlawful/) [John Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkins/) > [There's a sorry history of these kinds of charges of bias being leveled at women and judges of color, and also gay and lesbian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-rhode/there-s-a-sorry-history-of-these-kinds-of-charges-of-bias-being/) [Deborah Rhode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-rhode/) > [Watch the walls come down, whether it's in the South or on Wall Street. When the walls come down, what do we find? More…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/watch-the-walls-come-down-whether-it-s-in-the-south-or-on-wall-street/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [South Korea is one of the worst countries when it comes to opportunity for women in social activities and employment. To my disgust, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-hyesoon/south-korea-is-one-of-the-worst-countries-when-it-comes-to/) [Kim Hyesoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-hyesoon/) > [“In spite of lip service paid to domestic duties, in 1881 the Census excluded women’s household chores from the category of productive work and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-palmer/in-spite-of-lip-service-paid-to-domestic-duties-in-1881-the-census/) [Gabrielle Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-palmer/) > [“Thanks in part to the commission, Kennedy issued an executive order ending sex discrimination in the federal civil service. In 1963 he signed an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/thanks-in-part-to-the-commission-kennedy-issued-an-executive-order/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [Equal pay for equal work continues to be seen as applying to equal pay for men and women in the same occupation, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-s-rossi/equal-pay-for-equal-work-continues-to-be-seen-as-applying-to-equal/) [Alice S Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-s-rossi/) > [“Leave it to a girl to take all the fun out of sex discrimination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/leave-it-to-a-girl-to-take-all-the-fun-out-of-sex-discrimination/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [“An anarchist society is by definition a Free Society, but a Free Society is not necessarily Anarchist. It might fall short in several respects.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-meltzer/an-anarchist-society-is-by-definition-a-free-society-but-a-free/) [Albert Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-meltzer/) > [From the Equal Pay Act to the Sex Discrimination Act and the Equality Act through to the minimum wage and Sure Start, the Labour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-reeves/from-the-equal-pay-act-to-the-sex-discrimination-act-and-the-equality/) [Rachel Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-reeves/) > [Employers are not prohibited from practicing sex discrimination in hiring and promoting employees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/employers-are-not-prohibited-from-practicing-sex-discrimination-in/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) ## More by William J. Brennan > [If our free society is to endure, those who govern must recognize human dignity and accept the enforcement of constitutional limitations on their power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/if-our-free-society-is-to-endure-those-who-govern-must-recognize/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Capital punishment...treats members of the human race...as objects to be toyed with and discarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/capital-punishment-treats-members-of-the-human-race-as-objects-to-be/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust and wide-open and that...may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/debate-on-public-issues-should-be-uninhibited-robust-and-wide-open/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [The modern public school derived from a philosophy of freedom reflected in the First Amendment ... The non-sectarian or secular public school was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-modern-public-school-derived-from-a-philosophy-of-freedom/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [If a policeman must know the Constitution, then why not a planner?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/if-a-policeman-must-know-the-constitution-then-why-not-a-planner/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Our statute books gradually became laden with gross, stereotyped distinctions between the sexes and, indeed, throughout much of the 19th century the position of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/our-statute-books-gradually-became-laden-with-gross-stereotyped/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [We cannot let colorblindness become myopia which masks the reality that many "created equal" have been treated within our lifetimes as inferior both by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/we-cannot-let-colorblindness-become-myopia-which-masks-the-reality/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [After each perceived security crisis ended, the United States has remorsefully realized that the abrogation of civil liberties was unnecessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/after-each-perceived-security-crisis-ended-the-united-states-has/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [The door of the Free Exercise Clause stands tightly closed against any government regulation of religious beliefs as such. Government may neither compel affirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-door-of-the-free-exercise-clause-stands-tightly-closed-against/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [One area of law more than any other besmirches the constitutional vision of human dignity. . . . The barbaric death penalty violates our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/one-area-of-law-more-than-any-other-besmirches-the-constitutional/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [“Thus, we consider this case against the background of a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/thus-we-consider-this-case-against-the-background-of-a-profound/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Whether to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material taken as a whole appeals to prurient interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/whether-to-the-average-person-applying-contemporary-community/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [Our amended Constitution is the lodestar for our aspirations. Like every text worth reading, it is not crystalline. The phrasing is broad and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/our-amended-constitution-is-the-lodestar-for-our-aspirations-like/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [The public schools are supported entirely, in most communities, by public funds-funds exacted not only from parents, nor alone from those who hold particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-public-schools-are-supported-entirely-in-most-communities-by/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [The genius of the Constitution rests not in any static meaning it might have had in a world that is dead and gone, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/the-genius-of-the-constitution-rests-not-in-any-static-meaning-it/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) [Explore all 43 William J. Brennan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) ## More Attitude quotes > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Don't judge me because I'm stupid. Don't judge me because I'm, mean. Don't judge me because I'm weird. Don't judge me for mistakes. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-stupid-don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-mean-don/) [Isaiah Harden (Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah-harden-me/) > [Your feelings (mood) dictate your thought, your thought determines your attitude (reactions) and your attitude describes your lifestyle, so: be careful how you feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheye-hassan/your-feelings-mood-dictate-your-thought-your-thought-determines-your/) [Sheye Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheye-hassan/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“Good Seeds! Gratitude is the Greatest Attitude that has no Substitute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/good-seeds-gratitude-is-the-greatest-attitude-that-has-no-substitute/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [One genuine reason to feel jealous of my parents:-) I will never ever have a kid as awesome as their's...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-genuine-reason-to-feel-jealous-of-my-parents-i-will-never-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [My attitude it that you don't give in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/my-attitude-it-that-you-don-t-give-in/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) [Browse all 9,543 Attitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There can be no doubt that our Nation has had a long and unfortunate history of sex discrimination. 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