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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why you think the press is so obsessed with Malia Obama dating a white boy?

59 replies

VladmirsPoutine · 31/01/2018 20:52

It just seems so meaningless to me. Yes she's the daughter of the former POTUS but outside of that she's surely just a teen dating a guy she finds hot.
Why all the 'think' pieces etc? And why all the drama about them?
Can't they just have some peace to shag like I did at uni and get to know each other?

OP posts:
TheQueenOfWands · 31/01/2018 20:53

Slow news day?

TossDaily · 31/01/2018 20:57

Because racism is rife in the press.

goose1964 · 31/01/2018 21:35

Racism, it's really bad in the US and our news gets these stories from them. I forgot Obama was black and it shocked me when the news called him the first black president, as if it matters

steff13 · 31/01/2018 21:40

Have you ever had a black Prime Minister?

Exiguous · 31/01/2018 21:44

I did a quick scan of the news stories here (US) about Malia, and the ones relating to her boyfriend are mostly curious about the fact that he's British and went to a posh school.

I didn't see anything about him being white.

Maybe it's the British press that's obsessed with the race difference? I can't say as I haven't actually seen any stories about it, so I'm not sure where you're seeing so many?

DorisDangleberry · 31/01/2018 21:44

Is the press obsessed with it? First I have heard of it is this thread. Nothing in the FT today on it

annielouise · 31/01/2018 21:47

I've seen two articles spread over a few weeks. Neither mentioned anything about their race, just that he was British and went to private school. I've never seen any article on her that mentions her race. Can you link what you've seen?

velourvoyageur · 31/01/2018 21:59

Of course it matters that Obama was the first black president Hmm to say that his colour is irrelevant to the significance of his being elected president is to resolutely ignore how North America has treated POC throughout its history.

peachgreen · 31/01/2018 22:13

I forgot Obama was black and it shocked me when the news called him the first black president, as if it matters

It really, really does matter. There are thousands of articles explaining why but this is one of my favourites: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/01/my-president-was-black/508793/

We won't see a President like Obama again for a long time, I fear.

midnightmisssuki · 31/01/2018 22:18

Ive seen one article on it - unless youre really looking for this, i dont think its easy to find. And people are interested because she is the daughter of the first black president - thats all. And no, she cant go on to shag like you did in uni - her life will forever be under a microscope by virtue of being Obama's daughter. Are you sure its not just she's dating someone thats the story?

annielouise · 01/02/2018 12:54

Strange the OP disappeared without backing up what she has said. It's almost like stirring. I hunted and found one obscure article by something called Quartz. Hardly mainstream; I'd never heard of it. Haven't seen any mention of race of her or her boyfriend in anything other article by any major newspaper or site. It's like causing trouble for no reason.

halfwitpicker · 01/02/2018 12:58

It's just because he's British and they're a cute match.

Cantspell2 · 01/02/2018 13:06

Even the daily mail didn’t mention colour so I don’t see how the press can be termed obsessed.
And he is not a boy. He is 19.

Original poster
VladmirsPoutine · 01/02/2018 14:28

@annielouise I didn't disappear and I'm not 'causing trouble'. I am mixed race. Only difference between Malia and I is that I'm mixed with white black and arab. I understand race relations in the U.S and I've spent and extensive amount of time there to see this.

My question was just that - it need not be an issue who she is shagging or dating regardless. People often like to forget that Obama is half white.

OP posts:
pallisers · 01/02/2018 14:31

I'm in the US (not far from Malia Obama as it happens) and I've seen no coverage whatsoever about her dating life on any US news outlet.

nextDayDelivery · 01/02/2018 14:33

I hadn't noticed any obsession.In fact, I don't think I'd seen his skin colour mentioned anywhere.

taskmaster · 01/02/2018 14:35

I don't think anyone is remotely obsessed. I didn't know, and care less.

steff13 · 01/02/2018 15:20

I'm in the US (not far from Malia Obama as it happens) and I've seen no coverage whatsoever about her dating life on any US news outlet.

Same. I did see an article about it when I opened Google on my phone one day, but it was a BBC article. I don't know if the article mentioned their respective races, because I didn't open it, because I don't care who Malia Obama dates.

steff13 · 01/02/2018 15:22

My question was just that - it need not be an issue who she is shagging or dating regardless.

It shouldn't be, but it is. Just like it was for Chelsea Clinton, and the Bush twins. They're considered newsworthy because they're children of former Presidents.

VogelsTrust · 01/02/2018 15:42

They’re both rich, intelligent, good looking, well connected, and dating within their social circles- just a case of like attracting like really.

If they break up, they’ll choose from people at the same “level” as themselves to date.

I do think the above factors come above race - someone like the boyfriend (forgot his name) will have more in common with Ms Obama than someone white who doesn’t have the same wealth/connections/educational level as the Obama family.

VogelsTrust · 01/02/2018 15:48

Incidentally I did think some of the harry/Meghan stories were shite and funny, as in the BBC did a “here’s an example of a mixed race couple to compare” story .

Because apparently all mixed race relationships are The Same Hmm

Basically it’s just two well off people who are attracted to each other and move in similar social circles
connecting.

annielouise · 01/02/2018 16:06

VladmirsPoutine, you still don't say why you think the press is obsessed or linked to any news articles. No one else on this thread seems to have found them so all I was asking for is where have you seen this to form your view. I'm in the UK, I've not seen anything in terms of different races about them in the press over here. People in the US are saying the same. Which articles are showing an obsession about their races?

Nikephorus · 01/02/2018 16:07

I've seen one article and it seemed more focused on him being British & suitably upper-class. I'm not convinced it mentioned him being white - certainly didn't stress it.

limitedperiodonly · 01/02/2018 16:11

I agree with Vogels

Firesuit · 01/02/2018 16:27

Have you ever had a black Prime Minister?

Assuming for simplicity that "black" includes everyone who isn't "white", then, in fairness, the US has twice the proportion of "black" people compared to the UK. (Going by numbers listed as "white" in wikipedia, 74% USA versus 87% UK.)

The UK has had two women and one Jewish Prime Minister.