Michelle Obama is finally opening up about why she didn’t go to Donald Trump’s second inauguration. She says it wasn’t about politics or her marriage falling apart, it was about doing what felt right for her.
On her podcast with her brother, she talked to Taraji P. Henson about learning how to say no. Michelle said: “When I decided not to attend the inauguration — or made other choices earlier this year that felt right for me — people immediately assumed the worst. They couldn’t accept that I was simply doing what was best for myself. Instead, they rushed to conclude that my marriage must be crumbling.”
Her absence sparked a lot of online speculation, especially since she also didn’t go to Jimmy Carter’s funeral. She said the choice wasn’t easy, but she had to listen to herself.
Michelle admitted: “It took everything in me to resist doing what was expected, and instead focus on doing what was necessary for me. I made a point not to have an outfit ready, because I know myself. If the outfit’s hanging in the closet, it’s easy to slip into the role people expect.”
Taraji called her out in a good way and said women are constantly expected to be “shock absorbers” for everyone else. She said: “Women are expected to carry the emotional burden for their families, their communities, and their public image. It’s exhausting and unfair.”
Michelle agreed and said she’s still learning to put her own needs first. She also wants that lesson to stick with her daughters.
She said: “If after everything I’ve achieved, I’m still trapped trying to prove myself to the world, what message does that send to the next generation? I want my daughters to start practicing saying ‘no’ earlier than I did, so that muscle is strong.”
Michelle finished by saying something that hit hard and probably rings true for a lot of people. She said: “And guess what? The world keeps spinning even when you say no. It doesn’t fall apart because you put yourself first for once.”
