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Black Women + Politics
Michelle Obama & The Power of Nah: Why Black Women Refuse to Normalize Trump
We’ve always led the charge in resisting — the former First Lady’s refusal to attend this year’s inauguration is no exception.
Earlier this week, The Associated Press broke the story that while former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, along with their spouses, would attend President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration, former First Lady Michelle Obama would not attend.
This marks the second presidential event in two weeks that Mrs. Obama will have missed. She was noticeably absent from former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on January 9th, where she would’ve been seated next to Trump. It has also been reported that VP Kamala Harris has refused to meet with incoming VP-elect JD Vance for a pre-inaugural tour.
Many critics have criticized the former First Lady, who has historically been praised for her grace and reputation for always choosing to “go high,” when others go low. Some critics felt it was rather distasteful to confirm such news without an explanation or that it was an act of disobedience to her husband, Barack Obama, who will be the only former President at the inauguration without his spouse. Some even said they didn’t care about her presence because the event is not about her.
Yet, there they were, criticizing to the gods, a clear sign that Black women like Michelle Obama do, in fact, live rent-free in a lot of people’s heads.
Presidential inaugurations have long been heralded as symbols of democracy’s resilience — a moment where political differences should be set aside to honor the peaceful transfer of power. But what happens when that transfer ushers in an administration whose values threaten the very fabric of said democracy? I mean, haven’t we been here before?
Trump’s presidency was marked by policies and rhetoric that emboldened white supremacy, stripped away reproductive rights, and mocked the most vulnerable among us. Should attending the inauguration out of respect to the transfer of power trump the refusal to compromise on these values?
