The quote highlights the struggles women face in their relationships with one another, emphasizing a painful cycle of silence and betrayal. It suggests that instead of supporting each other, women often end up inflicting emotional harm, leading to feelings of isolation and hurt. This lack of solidarity can create an overwhelming pressure that builds up over time, manifesting in emotional outbursts that signify deeper unresolved grief.

Terry Tempest Williams, in "When Women Were Birds," explores these themes through variations on the notion of voice, encouraging women to reflect on their experiences of repression. The author calls attention to the collective grief that can arise when women fail to connect and support one another, urging them to break the silence and embrace solidarity to heal and uplift each other.