Just wanted to say that I love Michelle Obama

[ElephantsAndMiasmas]

Did anyone else see her speaking to those girls in Oxford today? She was speaking out about the importance of girls' education, and she even put in a good word about Hillary Clinton.

I love Mumsnet! Everyone descrying the focus on MO's clothes when she has so much to offer. And she actually did not choose to be doing this but is making the best of it. Plus, like every other leader's wife, she has just witnessed her partner aging about ten years in two - cf Tony Blair going grey. I wish her well. Mind you I feel I must point out that Oxford Uni is in fact unique (ref her talk to the female pupils) - I won a place there as a kid from a mixed inner city Scottish comprehensive in the last century...

"To suggest that she was asked to give talks to students because she is wife of a president is a bit like saying that Zara Phillips is a famous equestrian only because she is the daughter of the Princess Royal."

No it isn't. If you wanted to make that analogy work you would have to say that "Zara Phillips is only asked to give high-profile lectures on choosing equestrianism as a career because she is the daughter of the Princess Royal." If that were the case, and you said that, I'd think you probably had a point.

How many talks was she asked to give to students before Obama became president then?

All power to her for making the most of her position to encourage girls of course, but would the girls be as impressed and listen as hard if someone like Xenia from Mumsnet went to speak to them?

Back to what Dilys said near beginning of thread -

She didn't just bear his children though, she bore her own - and then did a great job of raising them.

Nothing wrong with our relationships with others (including DH's) being part of what we value as humans, and a central part of our life experience.

Being married to a president, prime-minister or future King is a full-time occupation I'm sure, and a role with the potential to do much good for others and for the world in a variety of ways.

Silly to insist that it's important that Princess Catherine for example have a proper job as fashion buyer for Jigsaw or some such !

I read an article not long after Barack's inauguration which was very critical of Michelle's decision to stand down from her job when becoming First Lady. Someone argued against the point by saying that the situation is different for black women. They have always had to work, and have never got to do the perfect housewife thing.

Michelle isn't completely taking a back seat, and has taken on her own work - the healthy living campaign for example. Also, IIRC, Sasha and Malia are the youngest children in the White House for decades, which arguably makes her decision more justifiable.

As a young black woman, I find her incredibly inspiring. There is a shortage of role models like her, especially black females.

Let's be honest, the "First Lady" stuff is patriarchal and horrible.

That said I think she's using the power and influence of the role to do cool, feminist-friendly things. And more power to her.

I think Michelle Obama is a fantastic role model for women. It sounds as some are saying that the fact that she is married to the USA President, and is first lady, means that her achievements should be ignored and underplayed.

Before she met Barack Obama, she was already a woman who had strived for more and worked hard to accomplish a lot. She did not need Barack Obama to succeed. Her accomplishments have nothing to do with her husband. What is not to be admired about that?

In a world where women need all the strength they can get, Michelle Obama is right there at the top of the list of inspirational women, especially considering all she has had to overcome, personally and professionally.

Why other women want to put her down says more about them than about her.

Michelle Obama is, impo, a VERY inspirational woman. And I do really hate seeing comments about how women haven't lived up to their own potential by being "The Wife."

She didn't get married to be The Wife. She had her own career and, for exactly the same reason millions others decide, it became untenable for her to keep that job. I'm a SAHM for a man with a fancy title and, tbh, wtf are you going to do about it?!!!

Well, it's great if she is using her position to speak to young women about furthering their education and obtain the best for themselves, but I don't see her as a role model. She's the president's wife. So what?

While she might have had a great career once, now she doesn't. She gave it up because of her husband. How is that a good message for our daughters? And we wouldn't ever have heard of her if she weren't married to the president.

Millions of women all over the world have achieved as much on their own as she has.

With any luck she will go on to become President of the US. Now that would be progress.

Very interesting talk at Oxford University

I posted the full link of her talk at Oxford University above. The talk was aimed at young women and girls, and I think it is very inspirational.

For those who criticise Michelle Obama or other women, what are you doing to promote and support young girls/women, especially those from poor backgrounds to be the best they can be?

I love Michelle Obama and agree she is a role model. MO has accomplished a lot as a woman within her own right, as someone points out, she was Barack's boss!

Giving up her career to be First Lady seems the only sensible thing (to me) to do. Imagine the media scrutiny if she carried on with whatever role (this point has also been made regarding Duchess of Cambridge). She has also chosen great causes to support as First Lady.

For me the defining success of feminism has been to give women the CHOICE to be whatever and whoever they want to be, and that includes being a SAHM. As long as they feel empowered doing that role, why should anyone be looked down on for their life choices? What's so wrong with being Mom-in-Chief anyway?

I thought Kira Cochrane defined the essence of MO really well with her piece earlier this week:

www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/22/michelle-obama-state-visit-uk