"I can hear the roar of women's silence"

The words from Thomas Sankara evoke a paradoxical image: the act of hearing not noise, but silence. Yet, this is not an ordinary absence of sound. It is a collective and profound muteness born from centuries of suppression, marginalization, and the deliberate erasure of women’s voices from public discourse and centers of power. The “roar” within this silence alludes to the intensity, energy, and potential that exist beneath a surface that might outwardly appear calm or acquiescent. Such silence is not consent; it is a form of resistance, a monument to unexpressed pain, wisdom, and creativity waiting to emerge.

Sankara recognizes that the collective silence of women is overwhelming, echoing with unspoken stories, refused opportunities, and unacknowledged contributions. The silence becomes deafening, more powerful in its wordlessness than the loudest outcry. It is the silence of those denied a platform, autonomy, or agency, not due to lack of substance, but because the surrounding culture and social structures have historically relegated their voices to the background.

The “roar” also signals inevitability and latent force. Like a gathering storm, the silence vibrates with the possibility of transformation and upheaval. Beneath imposed restraint lies resilience and the possibility of eruption into action. Sankara’s observation is both a lament and a warning: to ignore or underestimate the voices and power of women is to fail to grasp the currents of change already swirling beneath the surface. The suppressed have not disappeared, their silence is only the prelude to self-assertion.

Ultimately, the phrase challenges all to become attuned not only to what is said, but also to what remains unspoken. Embracing the unheard truths concealed in silence becomes essential for any genuine movement towards justice, equality, and liberation.