Alfahunnen Michelle

I artiklen “The Other Obama” skrev The Economist i sidste uge en artikel om Michelle Obama, der om nogen må være definitionen på en alfahun:

“She is highly educated, with degrees from Princeton and Harvard, and professionally accomplished, having worked for a top law firm, a big-city government and a big hospital. “

Mediernes fokus er dog et helt andet sted:

“Yet what have we heard about this paragon since her husband won the election? That she likes to display her "perfectly toned" arms in public. That she has a penchant for mixing designer clothes with J. Crew. That she and her husband had a romantic dinner together in a four-star Italian restaurant.”

“Her White House website describes her "first and foremost" as "Malia and Sasha's mom" before adding that, "before she was a mother", she was "Fraser and Marian Robinson's daughter."

“The news stories about Mrs Obama are almost entirely devoted to fluff. CNN has run a segment on "how to get Michelle Obama's toned arms". Every fashion magazine worth the name has run pieces on "the secrets of Michelle's style.”

Kendte, dygtige og kompetente kvinder bliver ofte portrætteret anderledes i medierne, hvor fokus hurtigt bliver drejet over på familieforhold, manden eller tøjet - om der er tale om Lene “den talende kavalergang” Espersen, Gucci-Helle eller Michelle "perfectly toned arms" Obama.

Som Economist artiklen slutter af: “It would be good to hear a bit more about what Mrs Obama thinks and a lot less about what she wears.”

Mette Mikkelsen
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