Really? So Condoleeza Rice, Oprah Winfrey, Tyra Banks and many other black women did nothing for the image of black women? The article suggests that before Michelle became a worldwide known figure, black women did not earn much respect but now that she is in the limelight and that position, this view will suddenly change.
Well, I do not think so. I believe that black women started being seen in a different light when Oprah got onto American’s TV screens and started talking about issues dear to their heart. I believe that this image continued changing when Rice came into the picture. Seriously, Michelle Obama is right now, simply the American President’s wife. So talk about her reviving the image of black women in America does not make sense. She is not going to change the way black women have been viewed in just a matter of days. We are talking about opinions and stereotypes. Those kinds of things take more than just days or positions such as being the First Lady to change.
If she were the kind of woman Hillary Clinton is (and I do not want her to be), the kind who continued pursuing her career even when she was in the White House, the one who gave speeches during the campaigns, then the story just might have been different. And even then, perceptions do not change overnight.
Michelle has said time and again that her priority is her family, seeing to it that her children do their chores, do well in school and grow up to be proper citizens. And even though she might not have said it, her priorities must include making sure Barack comes back to a happy home and supporting him all the way through. That, for me, has got to be one of the best priorities a woman can have especially one in that position.
It however means that she would prefer to be in the background, to be a silent helper. That kind character unfortunately does not garner a lot of attention so as to be noticed. And I get the feeling that that is what she wants. Which means that apart from making sure her children are okay and that she is there for Barack, Michelle might not pretty much be out in the limelight as much. So statements such as those that Lewis wrote seem quite far-fetched. They are also an insult, in a kind of way, to the likes of Oprah and Condoleeza.
And while we are it, could we stop making much ado over Michelle’s fashion sense? I like her simplicity but frankly, what she wears is nothing to write home about. Jason Wu just got a lucky break. I doubt she would be getting that kind of press if she were battling it out on the high-end runways.
cbeyanga@monitor.co.ug
