Michelle Obama has revealed the one question she deliberately avoids asking her daughters, warning other mothers about its potentially harmful impact. The former First Lady, aged 62, appeared on Alex Cooper's widely followed podcast Call Her Daddy this week, where she opened up about various subjects, including how she approaches conversations about her daughters' romantic lives.
Navigating Parental Inquiries with Care
The author, who shares daughters Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24, with her husband Barack Obama, admitted that she often feels a natural urge to inquire, 'Are you dating anyone?' However, she emphasised that this seemingly innocent question can send a subliminal message to young women, adding unnecessary pressure to find a partner.
Michelle explained, 'I have two beautiful daughters. And, you know, you find yourself slipping up and going, "Are you dating anyone?" But it's like, let me not make that the first question or the second question, or a question at all.' She frequently reminds her close circle of friends about the hidden dangers behind such queries.
Addressing Parental Insecurities
Reflecting on deeper motivations, Michelle questioned, 'What are our own insecurities as mothers that we’re like, "Well, you seem happy, and you’re on a track, but do you have a boyfriend?"' She pointed out that young women and men already face significant social pressure, so parents must be cautious not to exacerbate it.
'You see everybody getting married. So I think we have to be mindful of the way we craft questions, not just to our daughters but to our sons,' she concluded. 'How we talk about what happiness is and we have to work hard to separate our fears and insecurities as parents, we have to separate that from our kids.'
Criticism of Society's Focus on Appearance
Elsewhere in the conversation, Michelle recalled her experiences during her husband's first presidential campaign, criticising the public for prioritising her appearance over her identity. She argued that media coverage often began with 'She was wearing...' rather than highlighting her professional achievements.
'It started with appearance,' she explained. 'And it got worse as we got better,' Michelle added, referring to the campaign's progress. Initially, she did not take the criticisms personally but hesitated to embrace her style, fearing it might overshadow her role in the administration.
'I understood that fashion and appearance for women is so powerful, that if I spent too much time talking about it, maybe nobody would hear anything else that I have to say,' she confessed.
Response to Hypocrisy Claims
Some listeners labelled her statements as hypocritical, given her recent style book, The Look. Critics took to social media to express their views:
- 'The jokes write themselves (and a book, as the case may be),' one fan wrote.
- 'But … her own book is about her clothing?' another questioned.
- 'Nothing gets the media and press off your back about your outfits like publishing a book about your outfits and going on podcasts talking about your outfits,' a third pointed out.
When asked by Alex Cooper to address critics who called her book out of touch, Michelle responded, 'If you know me, you know, I'm just not that person. I'm not the person that's going to talk about some dresses. It's got to have a meaning to it.' She claimed the book explores themes of self-determination and female identity, rather than merely focusing on fashion choices.
