"I mean, a Mexican boy couldn't be anything else but an Indian. And why did you take the name of Quinn, they used to say to me. Hey, you're an Indian, so I played Indians"
- Anthony Quinn
About this Quote
This quote by Anthony Quinn speaks to the struggles of being a Mexican-American in a society that frequently stops working to recognize the complexity of identity. Quinn was born in Mexico to an Irish dad and a Mexican mother, and was often asked why he took the name Quinn. He was anticipated to identify as an Indian, therefore he picked to play the function of an Indian in order to suit. This quote speaks to the trouble of being a person of mixed heritage, and the pressure to comply with a single identity. It likewise talks to the power of choice, and how Quinn selected to accept his identity and play the role of an Indian in order to suit. Eventually, this quote is a tip that identity is intricate and that we need to not be restricted by the expectations of others.
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