Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou was an American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years.
She is usually known for her incredible writings, but not the fact that she had selective mutism. As a child, she was reportedly abused and sexually assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend, and when she spoke up, he was convicted, released, and then found dead.
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It was said that “The fear that her voice could be used for harm triggered a period of selective mutism” – a form of anxiety disorder marked by a child’s discomfort in speaking in certain environments or situations.
For five years, Maya refused to utter a word. It was in the devastating experience of her silent years that her admiration for books and literature, skilful listening, observing, and memorizing abilities emerged and she rose to be a powerful poet that many admire today.
