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Like so many women, I was living out the unlived life of my mother - so I wouldn't be her. But the price I paid was that I distanced myself internally.
Gloria Steinem
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects on the struggle of living one's own life while avoiding the path of a parent, which can lead to emotional distance.

In this quote, Gloria Steinem explores the complex relationship many women have with their mothers and the generational expectations that can shape their identities. She conveys the idea that in an effort to reject her mother's life choices, she inadvertently created a disconnect within herself, highlighting the often painful balance between personal autonomy and familial influence.

Themes

MotherIdentityRelationshipsEmotionLivingDistancing

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be shared during a women's empowerment workshop to illustrate the importance of understanding familial influences.

More from Gloria Steinem

I have me brave women who are exploring the outer edge of human possibility, with no history to guide them, and with a courage to make themselves vulnerable that I find moving beyond words.
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If women are supposed to be less rational and more emotional at the beginning of our menstrual cycle when the female hormone is at its lowest level, then why isn't it logical to say that, in those few days, women behave the most like the way men behave all month long?
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Age brings a freedom. When you're young, you're much more subject to the idea of what feminine is or how you should look or how you should behave.
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All those chemicals that create empathy only work when you are in a room together.
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Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.
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Obviously, there is much similarity among the challenges of transgender people and all women - from health care to harassment to discrimination in the workplace.
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