Quotes from Ani DiFranco


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Why do you think I write these feminist songs, to try and teach myself to respect myself. You know, it's not because I'm a hero.


I did a lot of work with myself over the course of being pregnant and the first few months of being pregnant. It's nice, the pace of being pregnant; it gives you a long time to not just germinate a baby but germinate the mother that you're gonna be.


I basically get stereotyped a lot in terms of being a girl and writing 'chick' music for teenage girls or something. I think, if anything, the press kind of, because of my gender and my age, tends to kind of relegate my work to this sort of special-interest group. It's part of the cultural dynamic, I guess.


All of youth culture is packaged and sold back to us at this furious rate these days. I think it's part and parcel to this corporate encroachment on our lives in general.


If I'm gonna go down I'm gonna do it with style. You won't hear me surrender, you won't hear me confess cause you've left me with nothing but I have worked with less.


It seems that different people have an idea of what I am, and what I should be. And then there's me.


Just let me go, we have to be able to criticize what we love, to say what we have to say 'cause if you're not trying to make something better, then as far as I can tell, you are just in the way.


Patriarchy is like the elephant in the room that we don't talk about, but how could it not affect the planet radically when it's the superstructure of human society.


Strangers are exciting, their mystery never ends. But, there's nothing like looking at your own history in the faces of your friends.


There isn't much I have to say, that I wouldn't rather just shut up and do.


Some people wear their heart up on their sleeve. I wear mine underneath my right pant leg, strapped to my boot.


Any tool is a weapon if you hold it right.


It can be very frustrating and very deflating to be constantly defined and described by other people, so I've stopped reading anything written about me, and I find it much healthier. I just sort of concentrate on what I do and don't worry too much about that.


Maybe you don't like your job, maybe you didn't get enough sleep, well nobody likes their job, nobody got enough sleep. Maybe you just had the worst day of your life, but you know, there's no escape, there's no excuse, so just suck up and be nice.


Art is why I get up in the morning but my definition ends there. You know I don't think its fair that I'm living for something I can't even define.


For me, the stronger ground I have in my personal life, then the more will I have to fight the good fight.


Either you are a feminist or you are a sexist/misogynist. There is no box marked 'other.'


Having more exposure is kind of a bittersweet thing for me, honestly, because it's nice to have a little more job security in life now.


God forbid you be an ugly girl, 'course too pretty is also your doom, 'cause everyone harbors a secret hatred for the prettiest girl in the room.


I don't hate being compared with female musicians. I don't mind that at all. I have no problem with seeing connections between women's work.