Akron, OH (PressExposure) March 12, 2009 -- The First Lady, Michelle Obama, is having her own dilemma. If it is not easy for the first lady, how can it be easy for any of us? David Brooks, journalist, referred to Michelle Obama's arms as Thunder and Lightening. From the over 50 male corner we hear, "she should not be known for her physical presence, for one body part".
I would ask, isn't it better to be known for something rather than nothing?
There is an old saying, if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. I would tweak it to say, if you aren't remembered for one thing, you may not be remembered for anything!
During the campaign, there was talk in the Obama ranks that Michelle should stop wearing sleeveless dresses because her muscles, combined with her potent personality, made her daunting. Amazing isn't it that among national issues the magnitude of homelessness and healthcare, education and enemies, a candidates wife's arms are an issue at all.
Michelle Obama is the first post Title IX First Lady. Title IX was passed in 1972 in hopes that it would dispose of sex discrimination, especially in athletic programs and create gender equality in sports. Title IX had the impact it was designed to have: revolutionizing athletic opportunities for women with the number of girls in sports increasing ten fold in less than thirty years.
In 1972 when Title IX was passed, Michelle Obama was 8 years old. Laura Bush was 26 years old. Therefore, this First Lady is the first to grow up under Title IX. So you could say, we are looking at Title IX arms!
The First Lady has the same three challenges as any speaker:
1. To be remembered 2. To be remembered for something positive 3. To have a call for action-to get someone to do something as a result of listening to you speak