Quotes
“ There is nothing stronger than a broken woman who has rebuilt herself. ”
— Hannah Gadsby
Entertainment Women LGBTQ+ She / Her · Pronounced: HAN-uh GADZ-bee
She / Her · Pronounced: HAN-uh GADZ-bee
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context From Gadsby's show Nanette, which reframed stand-up around trauma and survival.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ I encourage women to step up. Don't wait for somebody to ask you. ”
— Reese Witherspoon
Entertainment Women She / Her · Pronounced: REESE WITH-er-spoon
She / Her · Pronounced: REESE WITH-er-spoon
Source: Widely reported interview material · original link to be verified
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Witherspoon on taking initiative rather than waiting to be invited.
“ Stop talking about it. I'm going to stop calling you a white man. And I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man. I know you as Mike Wallace. You know me as Morgan Freeman. ”
— Morgan Freeman
Entertainment Male Role Models Black He / Him · Pronounced: MOR-gun FREE-mun
He / Him · Pronounced: MOR-gun FREE-mun
Context Freeman, on why he resists being defined by racial labels rather than simply being known as himself.
“ I remember when I decided to be open about my own personal mental health, it was scary to be that vulnerable and I didn't ever want anyone to think I am a victim. I thought by sharing my own story I could help others. ”
— Selena Gomez
Entertainment Women Latinx She / Her · Pronounced: suh-LEE-nuh GOH-mez
She / Her · Pronounced: suh-LEE-nuh GOH-mez
Source: Billboard interview · original link to be verified
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Gomez on why she chose to speak publicly about her own mental health struggles.
Read More: Latinx Voices
“ There's absolutely nothing wrong with you. ”
— Elliot Page
Entertainment Trans LGBTQ+ He / Him · Pronounced: EL-ee-ut PAYJ
He / Him · Pronounced: EL-ee-ut PAYJ
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Page's message to trans youth while promoting his memoir.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ This is politics for me. This is my life. I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars. ”
— Billy Porter
Entertainment Black LGBTQ+ He / Him · Pronounced: BIL-ee POR-ter
He / Him · Pronounced: BIL-ee POR-ter
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Porter on his red-carpet fashion as a political statement, not just style.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ There is hope in the young people out there. And I just want to say to all my peers out there doing the work in the streets: I see you, I admire you, I thank you. ”
— Zendaya
Entertainment Women Black She / Her · Pronounced: zen-DAY-uh
She / Her · Pronounced: zen-DAY-uh
Context Zendaya, the youngest woman and second Black woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama, in her acceptance speech during a summer of protest.
Their Story American actor who became the youngest woman ever, and the second Black woman, to win the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, for her role in 'Euphoria', a win she repeated in 2022.
Her Emmy acceptance speeches are direct primary sources. See Their Full Story
“ I think having a baby sliced out of you is pretty hardcore. ”
— Ali Wong
Entertainment Women Asian She / Her · Pronounced: AH-lee WONG
She / Her · Pronounced: AH-lee WONG
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Wong, known for candid stand-up about pregnancy and motherhood.
Read More: Asian Voices
“ Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success. ”
— Denzel Washington
Entertainment Male Role Models Black He / Him · Pronounced: den-ZEL WOSH-ing-tun
He / Him · Pronounced: den-ZEL WOSH-ing-tun
Source: Commencement address, Dillard University · original link to be verified
Context Washington on treating setbacks as part of moving forward rather than reasons to stop.
“ I can't overstate the biggest joy, which is really seeing yourself. I know I look different to others, but to me I'm just starting to look like myself. ”
— Elliot Page
Entertainment Trans LGBTQ+ He / Him · Pronounced: EL-ee-ut PAYJ
He / Him · Pronounced: EL-ee-ut PAYJ
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Page on the relief of finally seeing himself in the mirror.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ The only thing that separates women of colour from anyone else is opportunity. ”
— Viola Davis
Entertainment Women Black She / Her · Pronounced: vy-OH-luh DAY-viss
She / Her · Pronounced: vy-OH-luh DAY-viss
Context The first Black woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama.
“ I'm a proud person who happens to be deaf. ”
— Marlee Matlin
Entertainment Women Disabled She / Her · Pronounced: MAR-lee MAT-lin
She / Her · Pronounced: MAR-lee MAT-lin
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Matlin on being defined by more than her deafness.
Read More: Disability Rights
“ Blood, sweat and respect. First two you give, the last one you earn. ”
— Dwayne Johnson
Entertainment Male Role Models He / Him · Pronounced: DWAYN JON-sun
He / Him · Pronounced: DWAYN JON-sun
Context Johnson, in his own words, on why respect can't be demanded, only earned.
“ I recognize how hard this is for people, and I recognize how hard it is for me. But I have a certain set of skills that allow me to deal with this stuff. And I realized, with gratitude, optimism is sustainable. ”
— Michael J. Fox
Entertainment Male Role Models Disabled He / Him · Pronounced: MY-kul jay FOKS
He / Him · Pronounced: MY-kul jay FOKS
Context Fox, who has lived with Parkinson's disease since 1991, on how he sustains optimism through a degenerative illness.
Read More: Disability Rights
“ Ladies, don't let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime. ”
— Michelle Yeoh
Entertainment Women Asian She / Her · Pronounced: mih-SHEL YOH
She / Her · Pronounced: mih-SHEL YOH
Context Yeoh, the first Asian woman to win the Best Actress Oscar, in her acceptance speech.
Read More: Asian Voices
“ If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else? ”
— RuPaul
Entertainment LGBTQ+ Black He / Him · Pronounced: ROO-pawl
He / Him · Pronounced: ROO-pawl
Context RuPaul's closing line on every episode of Drag Race, which grew into a wider mantra on self-worth.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ Just me existing, as an openly black transgender woman from a working-class background, thriving, is a political act. ”
— Laverne Cox
Entertainment Women Black Trans LGBTQ+ She / Her · Pronounced: luh-VERN KOKS
She / Her · Pronounced: luh-VERN KOKS
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Cox on visibility itself as resistance.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ The stories we tell about communities affect the laws that get passed, the people that get attacked, the countries that get invaded. ”
— Riz Ahmed
Entertainment Asian Global South He / Him · Pronounced: RIZ AH-med
He / Him · Pronounced: RIZ AH-med
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Ahmed on the real-world stakes of on-screen representation.
Read More: Asian Voices
“ Ever since I could form coherent thoughts, I knew I was a girl trapped inside a boy's body. There was never any confusion in my mind. ”
— Jazz Jennings
Entertainment Women Trans LGBTQ+ She / Her · Pronounced: JAZ JEN-ingz
She / Her · Pronounced: JAZ JEN-ingz
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Jennings, one of the youngest publicly documented transgender people, on her earliest memories of her gender identity.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ Be kind to one another. ”
— Ellen DeGeneres
Entertainment Women LGBTQ+ She / Her · Pronounced: EL-en duh-JEN-er-iss
She / Her · Pronounced: EL-en duh-JEN-er-iss
Context DeGeneres's daily sign-off, which grew into a signature message.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ I must find positive outlets for anger or it will destroy me... the highest positive is forgiveness. ”
— Sidney Poitier
Entertainment Male Role Models Black He / Him · Pronounced: SID-nee pwah-tee-AY
He / Him · Pronounced: SID-nee pwah-tee-AY
Context Poitier, the first Black man to win the Best Actor Oscar, on channelling anger rather than being consumed by it.
