Quotes About Defiance

When I did 'Frankenstein,' the record company said, 'Now you can do 'Dracula' and 'Wolf Man' and we'll call the whole thing Monster Rock!' and I said, 'No, that's not going to happen, I'm not going to do that.' I kind of enjoy defying categorization. I love music in and of itself. I love the beauty of harmony and rhythm.

Anyone who thinks they stand apart from society and defies all which govern its existence has less in common with the lone wolf patriot standing up to dystopic forces of oppression - a myth - and more in common with the disease known as cancer - a harsh reality.

My being a black woman is not a deficit. It is a strength. Because I could not be where I am had I not overcome so many other barriers. Which means you know I'm relentless, you know I'm persistent, and you know I'm smart.

This idea of, oh, poor little black person, oh, poor little poor person, oh, poor little woman, oh, poor little indigenous person - everybody's a poor little something! I don't try and please everybody.

My illustrious lordship, I'll show you what a woman can do.

I've kind of got a rebellious bone. I think I came out of the womb like that.

Powerful women often get concerned with this idea that they're going to be seen in this unforgiving light. Screw that. It's so old-fashioned... It's so uninspired and actually really cowardly.

All right, then, I'll go to hell.

Similarly, the Marquis is presented in this film as someone who would disturb the status quo and therefore must be kept imprisoned.

What white woman, however lonely, was ever captive or insulted by me? Yet they say I am a bad Indian.

They say the average person can't make a living in art... but if you tell me there's something I can't do, that's what I have to do.

Insults are pouring down on me as thick as hail.

Too fat, too thin, too loud, too quiet - I was never going to fit the standards others created for me. Instead of complying, I protested.

I don't care what people think of me. I don't even care what happens to me.

My manner of thinking, so you say, cannot be approved. Do you suppose I care? A poor fool indeed is he who adopts a manner of thinking for others!

We do what we want. We don't care what anyone else thinks.

I love to play women who are strong and unapologizing and kind of rough around the edges and don't care what anybody thinks about that.

Everything we did was criticized. For about thirty years we lived with the world against us, accusing us of things we didn't do!

My greatest enemy is reality. I have fought it successfully for thirty years.

He that is taken and put into prison or chains is not conquered, though overcome; for he is still an enemy.

I'd rather have a hundred thousand or a million people saying I'm nuts and I'm crazy for my musical choices and what I've said lyrically, than a million people all raising their hand on the first day.

A nation is not conquered, Until the hearts of it's women Are on the ground. then it is done, no matter How brave it's warriors, Or how strong it's weapons.

He rose to his feet in one fluid move, the better to look down at me. "You don't know me, princess. Some people have reasons for doing things, and don't just go wherever they're told or drift whichever way they're pushed.

How about this?" I said, because now it was the principle of the thing. "I'm sorry, jackass.