Former First Lady Michelle Obama has addressed widespread rumors suggesting that she and former President Barack Obama are heading for a divorce.
In a recent episode of the Work in Progress podcast hosted by actress Sophia Bush, she responded directly to the speculation surrounding her marriage.
Her absence from former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and former President Donald Trump’s inauguration had sparked public debate, with many interpreting it as a sign of trouble in her relationship.
Michelle Obama stated that the decisions were personal and not linked to her marriage.
“This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?” she said during the interview. “That’s the thing that we as women, I think we struggle with—disappointing people.”
She explained that her actions were misunderstood because of societal expectations placed on women.
“So much so that this year people were… they couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,” she added.
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Michelle, who is 61, spoke about her current efforts to shift away from being a people pleaser.
She emphasized the need to prioritize her own well-being and questioned long-held assumptions about women’s roles and responsibilities.
“We start actually, finally going, ‘What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?’” she said. “And if it doesn’t fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible.”
The former president recently acknowledged being in a “deep deficit” with his wife during parts of their marriage, which further fuelled rumours online.
However, Michelle’s remarks suggested that the speculation was based on external assumptions rather than internal realities.
Her statements on the podcast aimed to clarify the basis of her decisions and challenge the narratives that often emerge when women step outside expected roles.
Reported by Frank Talk Now
