Michelle Obama: ‘I’m Not Divorcing Barack — I’m Choosing Me’

by Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

April 13, 2025

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is setting the record straight about her marriage, brushing off rumors of a split from former President Barack Obama and calling out the sexist assumptions that fueled them. In part two of her appearance on the “Work in Progress” podcast hosted by Sophia Bush, Michelle Obama addressed the online speculation that ramped up earlier this year when Barack Obama appeared alone at several high-profile events, including the funeral for former President Jimmy Carter and the inauguration of Donald Trump.

Critics quickly jumped to conclusions — but Michelle Obama made it clear that her choices had nothing to do with marital discord. “This year people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself,” Obama said. “They had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing. This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?”

She added, “That’s what society does to us. We start actually finally going, What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?’ And if it doesn’t fit into the stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible.” The bestselling author and former First Lady, who spent eight years in the White House without scandal — unless one counts Barack Obama’s infamous tan suit — said her efforts to make room for her voice and decisions have often been misinterpreted.

“I feel like it’s time for me to make some big girl decisions about my life and own it fully,” she said. “Because if not now, when? What am I waiting for? Look, the summers are—we’re in the summer countdown at 61, right? It’s not so tragic if something happens to you and you’re 80. So now is the time for me to start asking myself these hard questions of who do I truly want to be every day?” Michelle also spoke about the discomfort women often feel when asserting themselves. “When I say ‘no,’ for the most part, people are like, ‘I get it,’ and I’m OK,” she said. “That’s the thing that we, as women, I think we struggle with — disappointing people.”

Despite the rumor mill, the Obamas have continued to share affectionate public messages. On Valentine’s Day, Barack posted a photo with Michelle, writing, “Thirty-two years together, and you still take my breath away.” Michelle echoed the sentiment in her post: “If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, @BarackObama. You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be.”

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709999&forum_id=2#48843581)

Having a phallus shoved forcefully up your ass will do that to you. Don’t ask how I know.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709999&forum_id=2#48846839)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpF9O0R873I

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709999&forum_id=2#48843613)

That, to her, is somehow much better than having marital trouble? That paints her in a better light?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709999&forum_id=2#48845558)

why is a Dem FLOTUS skipping a Dem POTUS funeral "making my own choices!"? what was the choice, exactly?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709999&forum_id=2#48846862)

If you analyze Michelle Obama carefully, it's no secret she doesn't like white people. Every now and then the mask slips and you realize this. And it's also obvious in places where people prefer not to look, such as her Princeton days and the church she attended in Chicago with the controversial pastor.

I don't blame her. If I was black, I wouldn't like white people either. Because white people treated black people incredibly badly. For centuries. Forever, actually. And so did everyone else. She knows half of white Americans prefer not to do anything with black people and the other half of white Americans are patronizing to black people in the name of liberalism, and the same is now extended to other racial groups too, who alter between avoiding black people and superficially praising black people.

I don't doubt in the eyes of Michelle Obama, all these political events like the funerals and inaugurations are just white people games and she has no interest in participating in the rituals because those are not her games, rituals or people. It's not even really her country either. She doesn't view the US the same way most white Americans or other non black Americans do either. She put up a pretty strong facade during the Obama years and now she has fuck you money she really doesn't care what others think any more.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5709999&forum_id=2#48847013)