Michelle Obama recently spoke openly about the criticism she faced as First Lady, especially around her appearance. Appearing on the Call Her Daddy podcast with Alex Cooper on January 21, she reflected on how public scrutiny often overshadowed her work.
Michelle served as First Lady from 2009 to 2017 and made history as the first African-American woman in the role. During that time, she led major initiatives like Let’s Move to fight childhood obesity and supported healthier school meals nationwide. Still, she said media attention frequently focused on what she wore or how she looked instead of her accomplishments.
She explained that coverage often led with her clothing rather than her education or career, despite her degrees from Princeton and Harvard Law School and her professional work before the White House. As she put it, her shoes sometimes seemed more important than her qualifications.
Michelle also spoke about the broader issue of how women are treated in leadership, noting that society often tries to diminish women by criticizing their physical appearance. She urged women in power to be mindful of the culture they create and not repeat harmful patterns.
Addressing speculation about running for president, she reiterated that many voters are still unwilling to support a woman, saying it is a reality people need to acknowledge honestly.
She ended with encouragement for young women, reminding them that setbacks are normal and urging them to keep going because they are needed.