Praised for being the President’s wife

I recently received an email with the following article attached. The writer’s line of thought intrigued me, and I debated whether to support her or not. Yes, Michelle Obama is on the spotlight for not only being the president’s wife, but also for being the first African American first lady of the US. This will obviously make news. The writer however criticizes the amount of praise and attention accorded to Michelle just because she is the president’s wife.

I agree with her to the extent that many people to not know nor do they appreciate Michelle Obama’s history and her accomplishments as a woman not necessarily as President Obama’s wife. She has achieved a lot. Yet this fact is overlooked, and the publicity focus is on her role as a wife. This could be because she first came into the spotlight as a wife of a presidential aspirant, not as an executive director, who also sits on the board of other companies, and who has achieved a lot in her career.

She supported her husband in his political aspirations and sacrificed for him, thus I do agree with the writer that it is only fair, that her history and her achievements also be brought into the spotlight.

Anyway these are just my thoughts, have a read of the article.

Praised for being the President’s wife

From Daily Nation, March 18, 2009

By RUTH NJARAMBA Posted Tuesday, March 17 2009 at 16:43

When did we start praising women just because they are married to prominent people? Recently I noticed some graffiti emblazoned on the back of a matatu. It read: “Women, yes we can!” alongside a picture of Michelle Obama. This picture got me thinking: why wasn’t Michelle a role model for women worldwide before her husband’s presidential campaign and subsequent inauguration?

For many people, asking this question is tantamount to sacrilege and I bet there are those who think I should purchase a one-way ticket to hell immediately. However, before you label me a traitor and banish me from the sisterhood of empowered women, hear me out.

Women have been the underdog since time immemorial; we have fought hard for equal rights, equal pay and other amenities that come naturally to men.

In 2009, these goals finally seem to be within reaching grasp in parts of Kenya, which is why, after attaining all this I find it incredible that most people are hailing Michelle Obama as the epitome of the modern woman, simply for being the wife of the American president.

Yet, she has achieved a lot in her personal life, including attaining a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and attending Harvard Law School while being an exceptionally good mother. However, ask the majority of people and you will find that most of them know her simply for being Obama’s wife. What would stop any other First Lady then from being a role model?

One could argue that the reason most people look up to Michelle is because she is the picture of total devotion to her spouse. Despite the fact that they had a family and, of course, bills to pay, she let her husband resign from his job so he could pursue his political ambitions. Maybe she complained at some points over the years, but she stayed put all the same.

How many people out there can list women who have done the same thing – devoted their lives to helping their husband’s career? Most would be able to list more than five women they know personally and more around the globe who have done this and will continue to do it. But is this the only criterion for making any woman a role model?

Don’t get me wrong; I respect Michelle highly. My problem is that the media glorified her and made her a symbol due to the fact that she is the American First Lady. By doing this we are insulting her intelligence and the intelligence of all the good mothers out there who are also educated, hardworking career women.

This type of glorifying downplays the achievements of all the women who have done amazing things, such as Shirin Ebadi of Iran who strove to fight for democracy and the course of human rights in her country, or Ann Cotton, the Welsh woman who founded the Campaign for Female Education and is responsible for the education of over 400,000 girls in Africa. Sadly, for most readers, this is the first time they have heard these names. Yet they have actually helped society, and the world in general, more than Michelle has.

Let me put it another way: how many people would know Michelle if she were not Obama’s wife? Would anyone really be happy to be praised and celebrated simply for being the wife of a prominent person? Why, even in Africa, Graca Machel is known for much more than being Nelson Mandela’s life partner!

So before we place Michelle, or anyone else for that matter, on a pedestal, perhaps we should ask ourselves what exactly she has done to deserve it.

living@nation.co.ke

From Daily Nation, March 18, 2009.