to not understand why young girls are told to aspire to be like michelle obama

[HRHShoesytwoesy]

have I missed something? if so what?

[savoycabbage]

Well, what's wrong with her?

[HRHShoesytwoesy]

nothing, but just don't know what she has done.

[millie30]

Because she grew up in poverty and worked hard to get to Havard and become a very successful lawyer maybe? She's a better role model than many.

[HerRoyalNotness]

impressive I'd say

[millie30]

Sorry not in poverty, meant to say poor area of Chicago.

[legspinner]

To my mind she is a fantastic African-American female role model - high achiever, lawyer, Harvard degree etc. She is a very driven and accomplished person in her own right, not "just" the First Lady.

[niceguy2]

I agree with Millie. She grew up in a one bedroomed apartment, in a rather working class background. Despite this, she's become not only a Harvard educated lawyer, she's now the first lady of the US and active supporter of many charities and family policy/initiatives. All this whilst being happily married with two gorgeous kids

I'd much rather my daughter aspire to be like Michelle Obama than Katie Price!

[LDNmummy]

Um... Because more than most of Britains First Lady's have done, she actually is exceedingly accomplished in her own right.

Do a little check up on her history. I would say she is definitely someone to aspire to.

[savoycabbage]

I suppose because she has lived a 'wholesome' life and she is a lawyer, a wife and a mother. She does work for charity yet has her own career. She has worked hard to achieve.

[Morloth]

She seems to have her shit well together.

Why not have her as a role model?

[Tee2072]

Because she's smart, poised, kind and seems genuinely nice.

Forget everything else. That's what I would want my daughter to be if I had one.

[AlpinePony]

Because of everything said above! She is an excellent role model and on top of "all of that", she gets up every day at 4am to do a work-out!

She is actually the anti-thesis of all the whining on mn about "only Eton toffs get opportunities" - she is the powerhouse behind her husband and I doubt very much he'd have come as far as he has without her!

At Harvard she put a lot of noses out of joint with her campaigning against racism and sexism - she doesn't let up for a minute.

If you don't "get" why she's such a great role-model I'd suggest you get back to X-factor.

[DilysPrice]

What Millie said.

She certainly is a good role model, I can't imagine many mothers not wanting their DD to grow up like her.

However, she is here in her capacity as someone's wife, and I do wish that we had a few more female role models who represented their own personal achievements (of course there are many, but few with the status of MO).

[GingerWrath]

She is campaigning for more girls to stay on at school and to gain university education. She also wants girls to break sexual stereotypes and to aspire to become things like astro physicists and research biologists.

Can't see why she wouldn't be a good role model for girls!

[jeckadeck]

as others have said, because she took herself, through hard work and intelligence, from a poor part of Chicago to Harvard Law School, a successful career in law and is now happily married to the world's most powerful man with two beautiful daughters. Oh, and she's also beautiful, glamorous, beautifully dressed and commands the respect of most people she meets. Those who are saying she's here in her capacity as someone's wife are missing the point: there's a big distinction between a Michelle Obama and, say, a Barbara Bush, who, with no disrespect intended, didn't exactly achieve the same meteoric career rise.
What's not to aspire to?

[HRHShoesytwoesy]

ah ha she's a lawyer. thanks that is what I had missed.......now I get it.

[BlooferLady]

What Pony said. Jeez, if she's not a role model, who bloody is?!

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Love Michelle Obama or "get back to x factor". If that's an example of following her as a role model then I'll pass and make my own way thanks.

[Birdsgottafly]

Realisitically can you achieve in the UK what she has acheived in America, though? Oxford and Cambridge is 'closed off' to the majority, you cannot overcome 'class' bounderies that easy. Obama repainted his background as and when suited, by all accounts.

My DD was very gifted at science, when she started to pick her boyfriend over her studies i was devastated, until i read about how useless a science degree is for the majority of people from the UK combined with a working class background. She is back on track now still doing science but adding other 'strings to her bow'. Like it or not but the system in the UK is very different to that in the US. You can be a hard worker and have intelligence and still struggle your way through life, here. The university bit is a joke with the increase in fees, for many.

I beleive in aspiring ambition in youngsters, of course but i did feel that she was a bit 'preachy' in her speach.

[Ariesgirl]

She's amazing. She made SamCam look like an insipid simpering fool yesterday. I have an enormous woman-crush on her.

[Birdsgottafly]

I find it ironic how at every opportunity Cherie Blair was attacked by the media, she also was a self made woman.

[Mollymax]

It is not just that she is a lawyer, she has worked extremely hard to get to the position she is in, she certainly was not born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
As a previous poster has said, I would rather my daughters aspired to be like her than Katie Price, or a lot of the other so called celebs.

[BelovedCunt]

agree about cherie blair but then she wasn't v. attractive. sadly if michelle obama was as attractive as she is the media wouldn't be quite so gaga about her. i still love mobama

[TrillianAstra]

Oxford and Cambridge is 'closed off' to the majority

I disagree entirely.

Have you seen how much it costs to go to Harvard, or even to your local state university in the US?

[BlooferLady]

Yes but Michelle Obama doesn't routinely vulgarise herself and her position by shamelessly grubbing every last fiver she can get out of her position, a la Cherie Blair...