No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

The statement argues that humiliation is not only something imposed from outside; it also depends on an internal act of acceptance. Roosevelt frames “inferiority” as a feeling that requires assent—an inward agreement that another person’s judgment defines your worth. The quote therefore shifts attention from controlling others’ behavior (often impossible) to governing one’s own self-conception (more attainable). It is not a denial that people can be mistreated or marginalized, but a claim that self-respect can be defended by refusing to internalize contempt. In this sense, it aligns with traditions of moral autonomy and psychological resilience.

1) “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
2) “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.”
3) “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” (often paraphrased as “without your permission/allowing it.”)