Patriarchal lying has manipulated women both through falsehood· and through silence. Facts we needed have been withheld from us. False 'witness has been borne against us. 

And so we must take seriously the question of truthfulness between women, truthfulness among women. As we cease to lie with our bodies, as we cease to take on faith what men have said about us, is a truly womanly idea of honor in the making?

Women have been forced to lie, for survival, to men. How to unlearn this among other women? "Women have always lied to each other." "Women have always whispered the truth to each other:' Both of these axioms are true. "Women have always been divided against each other." "Women have always been in secret collusion." Both of these axioms are true.

— ADRIENNE RICH, Women and honor - some notes on lying