--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My silences had not protected me. Your…" description: "\"My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/audre-lorde-758_contact_my-silences-had-not-protected-me-your-si_1679623.jpg" --- # My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not… ![“My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed…” quote by Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/audre-lorde-758_contact_my-silences-had-not-protected-me-your-si_1679623.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/audre-lorde-758_contact_my-silences-had-not-protected-me-your-si_1679623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/audre-lorde-758_contact_my-silences-had-not-protected-me-your-si_1679623.jpg) > “My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences.” [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Silence fails to safeguard; speaking truth creates connection and mutual understanding. **In simple terms:** Speaking truth builds bonds, silence does not. Key Takeaway Speak openly to bridge gaps. Themes feminism communication solidarity Mood defiant reflective Type inspirational political When to use this quote - activism - community building - personal relationships - educational workshops Key Concepts intersectionality truth‑telling empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How does speaking truth change your relationships? - When does silence become harmful? A Different Perspective Silence can be protective for some, but may also perpetuate oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Fit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fit/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) [Protected Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protected-silence-942821/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Silences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silences/) [Silences Protected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silences-protected-942822/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak Truths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-truths-307153/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I was going to die, if not sooner, then later, whether or not I had ever spoken myself. My silences had not protected me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-was-going-to-die-if-not-sooner-then-later-whether-or-not-i-had-ever/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [That's how life goes on - protected by the silence that anesthetizes shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-how-life-goes-on-protected-by-the-silence-that-anesthetizes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are truths, that are beyond us, transcendent truths, about beauty, truth, honor, etc. There are truths that man knows exist, but they cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/there-are-truths-that-are-beyond-us-transcendent-truths-about-beauty/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [We can say what we need to say. We can gently, but assertively, speak our mind. We do not need to be judgmental, tactless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/we-can-say-what-we-need-to-say-we-can-gently-but-assertively-speak/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [Don't be fooled by a sweet talker. Believe someone who's actions and mouth speak the same truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/don-t-be-fooled-by-a-sweet-talker-believe-someone-who-s-actions-and/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Stories are amazing and powerful because they can resonate with people depending on their needs and experiences and speak truths we need to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/stories-are-amazing-and-powerful-because-they-can-resonate-with/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Your eyes speak truths you don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-d-reiss/your-eyes-speak-truths-you-don-t/) [C.D. Reiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-d-reiss/) > [We all have--to put it as nicely as I can--our lower centres and our higher centres. Our lower centres act: they act with terriblepower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/we-all-have-to-put-it-as-nicely-as-i-can-our-lower-centres-and-our/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“result, he’s firmly persuaded that the Catholic Church must always speak its truths to the surrounding culture, without adjusting those teachings to make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-barron/result-he-s-firmly-persuaded-that-the-catholic-church-must-always/) [Robert E. Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-barron/) > [The fact that we are here and that I speak these words is an attempt to break that silence and bridge some of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/the-fact-that-we-are-here-and-that-i-speak-these-words-is-an-attempt/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [What I most regretted were my silences. Of what had I ever been afraid?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/what-i-most-regretted-were-my-silences-of-what-had-i-ever-been-afraid/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Facebook is inherently viral. There are lots of sites that include a contact importer, and for lots of them it doesn't really make sense.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/facebook-is-inherently-viral-there-are-lots-of-sites-that-include-a/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [In these silences something may rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-these-silences-something-may-rise/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I want to let all men and women know: Try going to a party or a dinner where you're completely fine with silences, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-seehorn/i-want-to-let-all-men-and-women-know-try-going-to-a-party-or-a-dinner/) [Rhea Seehorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-seehorn/) > [I shall state silences more competently than ever a better man spangled the butterflies of vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-shall-state-silences-more-competently-than-ever-a-better-man/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) ## More by Audre Lorde > [Every woman I have ever loved has left her print upon me, where I loved some invaluable piece of myself apart from me-so different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/every-woman-i-have-ever-loved-has-left-her-print-upon-me-where-i/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [There are many kinds of open. . . Love is a word, another kind of open. . . Take my word for jewel in your open light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-are-many-kinds-of-open-love-is-a-word-another-kind-of-open-take/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Your silence will not protect you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/your-silence-will-not-protect-you/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I can't really define it in sexual terms alone although our sexuality is so energizing why not enjoy it too?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-can-t-really-define-it-in-sexual-terms-alone-although-our-sexuality/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“For once we begin to feel deeply all the aspects of our lives, we begin to demand from ourselves and from our life-pursuits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/for-once-we-begin-to-feel-deeply-all-the-aspects-of-our-lives-we/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [the fear of death is that you are dying too soon. 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