Michelle Obama has expressed her views on the societal pressures Black women face regarding their hair, asserting that they often feel compelled to straighten their locks in order to conform to prevailing beauty norms set by white standards.
In a candid discussion with Tracee Ellis Ross, the former First Lady, now 61, delved into these issues while promoting her latest book, “The Look.” This conversation took place during a live event earlier this week, where Michelle shared insights from her memoir, which explores her personal style journey during her years in the White House.
Throughout the conversation, Michelle addressed the constraints Black women experience due to the expectation of maintaining straight hair. She discussed the limitations it imposes on their daily activities, such as swimming or going to the gym, due to the fear of disrupting their hairstyle.
“Let me explain something to white people. Our hair comes out of our head naturally in a curly pattern,” Michelle passionately explained. She emphasized the feeling of being “trapped” when Black women straighten their hair to align with these imposed beauty ideals.
‘Let me explain something to white people. Our hair comes out of our head naturally in a curly pattern,’ an exasperated Michelle began.
‘When we straighten it to follow your beauty standards, we are trapped by the straightness.
‘That’s why so many of us can’t swim, and we run away from the water. People won’t go to the gym because [they’re] trying to keep [their] hair straight for y’all! It’s exhausting, expensive and takes up so much time.’
Michelle concluded the heated conversation by telling people to ‘get out of their hair.’
Michelle Obama has gone on a furious rant about her hair, claiming Black women have to straighten their locks to ‘follow white people’s beauty standards’
Michelle, pictured with husband Barack Obama in 2016, claimed that Black women are ‘trapped’ by the pressures to keep their hair straight and ‘can’t swim’ or ‘go to the gym’
‘Don’t tell me how to wear my hair, don’t wonder about it, don’t touch it. Just don’t,’ she stated.
A video of the moment has been shared all over X and TikTok, and her comments did not go over well with some people.
‘Why is she blaming white people for her styling choices?’ one user asked.
‘If she’s so mad about it, why is she wearing her hair straight,’ wondered another.
‘Nobody asked Michelle to straighten [her] hair. I don’t straighten mine – overly curly, zero apologies,’ replied someone else.
‘No wigs, no filters. 100 percent natural, trimmed on my schedule. Stop blaming “white supremacy” for your own choices. Own your crown, sis.’
‘I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone tell someone else they need to have straight hair to conform to anything. My hair is naturally curly. I swim at least three times a week,’ read a fourth tweet.
It comes after she opened up about the delicate balancing act of representing her Black culture and being the First Lady while speaking with Cosmopolitan’s beauty editor Julee Wilson, actress Marsai Martin and hair expert Yene Damtew last week.
Michelle’s new tome, The Look, which came out November 4, documented her style evolution during her time in the White House
The former First Lady, 61, discussed the topic during a live sit-down with Tracee Ellis Ross to discuss her new book earlier this week
‘Let me explain something to white people. Our hair comes out of our head naturally in a curly pattern,’ Michelle said. ‘When we straighten it to follow your beauty standards, we are trapped’
Since leaving the White House, Michelle has embraced her natural hair and has been pictured rocking curlier locks on numerous occasions
She opened up about the consideration taken into account by both herself and her team when her husband Barack Obama, 64, was elected President in 2009.
‘I knew the importance of making boarder statements about hair as the first Black First Lady,’ she explained.
‘But what I will tell you is that I consciously understood that – at least until people knew me, which took eight years – I needed to not make hair part of the conversation.’
She said that’s why she has chosen to speak about her hair journey now, saying: ‘It is always such an important part of a woman and a Black woman’s journey.’
The podcast host admitted that her husband didn’t always understand the immense pressure that came with her styling.
‘Sometimes he wonders, “do you have to do all that?”‘ she shared.
‘He is always like “you’re beautiful no matter what you do, I don’t notice the difference in anything,”‘ Michelle continued about her husband.
‘So he has always been, is always, continues to be completely affirming.’
Since leaving the White House, Michelle has embraced her natural hair and has been pictured rocking curlier locks on numerous occasions.
