Maya Angelous cultural impact, and her treatment in the media Essay

Maya Angelous cultural impact, and her treatment in the media - Essay Example legacy precedes her as the most successful visible woman autobiographer, and autobiographical voice of her time since all her life seemed like her work. Maya brought diversity to literature and theatre through her writing changing the course of society for the better in her profession, as depicted by Pulitzer Prize, Emmy Award, Tony Award, and inclusion in The National Women’s Hall of Fame. In all, Maya left a legacy of the legendary poet, tireless activist and a writer despite struggles in her life. Criticism of Maya’s books and writings were both negative and positive depending on the point of view of the critique. Maya’s critics included positive reviews by Elsie Washington saying, "the black womans poet laureate" after reciting, â€Å"On the Pulse of Morning† in President Clinton’s inauguration. Another positive review was by Younge, who said Maya had been able to blend poetry, conversation, and song through merging her talents to create an art performance that results in social uplift and issue a personal message. Negative criticism to Maya were on the use of her life in her writing to which she said she was in agreement to black and white writers saying she writes for money. Other negative criticism came from parents owing to her depiction of pornography, lesbianism, violence, and premarital cohabitation. Other criticism included language use, sexually explicit scenes, and irrelevant religious

First native women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

First native women - Essay Example The basis for Lavell and Bedard for their claim of discrimination was how Aboriginal women would lose their Indian status when a non-Indian or a non-registered Indian married them. In addition, it meant that Lavell’s children would be deprived of their Indian status. Lavell argued that Section 12 (1) (b) discriminated the women gender, and the sections should be repealed, in relation to the 1960 Bill of Rights (5). Lavell’s case was the first that dealt with discrimination because of sex. Because of these discriminatory sections, many Indian women were denied their heritage, and not by the will, but because of an archaic law. Lavell did not like how the acts that were set to govern the Indian reserves were being operated, whereby it stated who is not and who is acknowledged as an Indian. Lavell was furious about how the Indian Act allowed the male Indian, who happened to marry out retained their status and were able to pass it on to their non-Indian wives and to their c hildren. The male Indian wives, even though they sometimes did not have First Nation ancestry; they were entitled to full status. The result of the discriminatory sections was the practical ostracism of more than ninety thousand women, their children and their spouses from their societies and traditional homelands (Lavell 7). It caused great emotional, psychological and economic suffering to the affected people. Lavell was not pleased with this outcome because when she married she was sent a notice submitting that she was no longer identified as an Indian as stated in Section 12 (1) (b) of the Indian Act. It is because she was a no native who had married David Lavell a native. These grave effects for enfranchised First Nation women made Lavell go to court to challenge the Indian Act. Lavell’s claim was supported by Bedard, who joined her in 1973 when she appealed for her case after losing it at trial. Lavell had lost her case on the basis that the Canadian Bill of right