Former First Lady Michelle Obama has revealed the striking reason why she will not pursue a presidential bid.
Obama served as First Lady from 2009 to 2017 during her husband Barack Obama’s two terms, from his inauguration on January 20, 2009, until the conclusion of his presidency on January 20, 2017.
Although the United States has yet to elect a female president, several women have run for the office, including Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Kamala Harris in 2024.
In a conversation with black-ish actress Tracee Ellis Ross in Brooklyn, New York, promoting her new book The Look, Obama addressed whether there has been sufficient progress for a woman president. She referenced Harris’ loss to Republican Donald Trump: “As we saw in this past election, sadly, we ain’t ready.”
“That’s why I’m like, ‘don’t even look at me about running because you all are lying.’ You’re not ready for a woman,” Obama continued. “We’ve got a lot of growing up to do, and there are still many men who feel they cannot be led by a woman—and we saw that.”
In The Look, Obama also explored the various elements of her personal style and how she used fashion to highlight causes she cares deeply about, including education, support for military families, and children’s health.
She recounted how one aspect of her body was weaponized against her by critics and the media. A particular outfit she wore while accompanying her husband to his first address to a joint session drew sharp criticism for being “too informal,” “inappropriate,” and “out of season” because it revealed her arms. Headlines such as Up In Arms and Sleevegate followed.
Obama noted that prior First Ladies, like Jacqueline Kennedy, had worn sleeveless dresses without inciting similar backlash, highlighting how scrutiny over her arms was used to “otherize” her.
“While I’m certainly not the only First Lady to face critique—Hillary was often criticized for her preference for pantsuits, and Nancy Reagan for her love of haute couture—this felt different,” she wrote.
“Barack and I were being portrayed as Black people who didn’t understand the ‘rules’ of the rarefied world we had entered and weren’t unequivocally welcomed into it.”
