A Theoretical Prespective of First Lady Michelle Obama While many men and women alike, perceive the simple participation of females in political aspects of life to be achieving equality, this is simply not the case. Accounting for factors addressing the relation between portrayal and an individual 's behaviour also shape one 's political agency or freedom. This, when considering historical context, is especially true in regards to women in politics. Michelle Obama is not only seen as the First Lady of the United States of America, but also as a mother, activist, and popular icon. Her “unpaid and often unwanted role” (Henneberger, 2008, p. 8) as the First Lady are particularly defined and characterized by her race and gender. Within this essay
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Specifically, her involvement in charity work would be something that Mill would critique as demonstrating moral sensibility, something that is associated with being weak. Mill expresses that women are more concerned with private virtues, such as family and charity. Along with being the first lady, Michelle Obama is recognized as an activist, she is behind many successful causes, she is particular known for her public policy initiative Lets Move! (Grey, 2016, p. 568) However, even in the case of her campaign, media was quick to criticize, with one reporter entailing that she isn’t practicing what Lets Move! promotes.(Grey, 2016, p. 564) In her article Contesting the Fit Citizen: Michelle Obama and the Body Politics of The Biggest Loser, Grey recognizes that previous First Ladies have gravitated towards causes that target vulnerable members of the population, such as soldiers and those affected by mental health. Campaigns that are associated with what can be described as nurturance or domesticity. (Grey, 2016, p. 565) Political scientists have defined stereotypically feminine traits as relating to “warmth, kindness, understanding, expressiveness, gentleness, passiveness, compassion, trustworthiness, morality, and emotion…” and masculine traits as “… strength, toughness, competency, rationality, stability, decisiveness, directness, assertiveness, …show more content…
Michelle Obama’s experience with the press in her initial step into politics caused a great amount of hostility that influenced her to change the way she was presenting herself. What began as criticism of being masculine, of Arab descent and too African-American transformed into a rebranding demonstrating nationality, mothering and interest in fashion. Michelle Obama acts as an example of the standards to which women are held within both the public and private spheres of life, her experiences demonstrate that nonconformity are detrimental and punished. Further, the effect of race on ones gender identity are also called into question; while every individual possesses subconscious biases the role of media in perpetuating these biases further marginalize women of
Specifically, her involvement in charity work would be something that Mill would critique as demonstrating moral sensibility, something that is associated with being weak. Mill expresses that women are more concerned with private virtues, such as family and charity. Along with being the first lady, Michelle Obama is recognized as an activist, she is behind many successful causes, she is particular known for her public policy initiative Lets Move! (Grey, 2016, p. 568) However, even in the case of her campaign, media was quick to criticize, with one reporter entailing that she isn’t practicing what Lets Move! promotes.(Grey, 2016, p. 564) In her article Contesting the Fit Citizen: Michelle Obama and the Body Politics of The Biggest Loser, Grey recognizes that previous First Ladies have gravitated towards causes that target vulnerable members of the population, such as soldiers and those affected by mental health. Campaigns that are associated with what can be described as nurturance or domesticity. (Grey, 2016, p. 565) Political scientists have defined stereotypically feminine traits as relating to “warmth, kindness, understanding, expressiveness, gentleness, passiveness, compassion, trustworthiness, morality, and emotion…” and masculine traits as “… strength, toughness, competency, rationality, stability, decisiveness, directness, assertiveness, …show more content…
Michelle Obama’s experience with the press in her initial step into politics caused a great amount of hostility that influenced her to change the way she was presenting herself. What began as criticism of being masculine, of Arab descent and too African-American transformed into a rebranding demonstrating nationality, mothering and interest in fashion. Michelle Obama acts as an example of the standards to which women are held within both the public and private spheres of life, her experiences demonstrate that nonconformity are detrimental and punished. Further, the effect of race on ones gender identity are also called into question; while every individual possesses subconscious biases the role of media in perpetuating these biases further marginalize women of