Melania Trump's speech last night was a perfect example of some people's disgust with Michelle Obama for simply existing. People were praising Melania's speech, saying what a great American she is, how supportive of a spouse she is and how she embodies the title of First Lady. I saw at least thirty comparisons to Jackie within two hours. A good majority of the comments were based solely on "looks" as if Michelle Obama rolls out of the White House in pajamas all the time.
Not only does Michelle, in my opinion, always look stunning, she's been called a fashion icon several times over the years for her fresh wardrobe choices. She was criticized once for sleeve length. Yes, that's right, too much of her SHOULDERS were showing so she was no longer able to carry out her duties as the First Lady. She was criticized for stepping off of Air Force One in shorts while visiting the Grand Canyon. If mid-thigh length shorts and shoulders are too much skin for a First Lady to be showing, what are we to do with the nude photos of the potential future First Lady?
Now, here's the part where I clarify I completely support any woman comfortable enough to pose nude. Or to model. Or to marry a billionaire. Here's the part where I say there's no way Melania can be an unintelligent woman. She's beautiful and intelligent but she's shown a respect Michelle Obama has not been shown by a lot of people praising her and she's now taking some heat for that. But that heat is misplaced.
When I commented on a few posts about Michelle Obama's accomplishments compared to Melania Trump's, I was met with a few to-the-death defenders as if I was tearing Melania down by explaining the hypocrisy toward Michelle. It's not tearing someone down to request they not put that person on a pedestal. It's not tearing someone down to show why someone else is deserving of the same recognition and respect. It's not tearing someone down to point out a party who runs on traditional, family values is now supporting the exact opposite in their potential First Family. It is, however, tearing someone down to say she can't be First Lady because of nude photos, her lack of a college degree or any other negatives brought to light and that's not what I was or currently am saying. I'm saying that we need to recognize the level some are willing to go to build this woman up and the level some have gone to tear Michelle down and how neither should be acceptable to us.
"You all have got to stop calling each other sluts and whores. It just makes it ok for guys to call you sluts and whores"
And that's a great piece of advice to follow here. We need to be careful how we, as women, are wording things. We need to be careful how we, as women, are approaching this subject. It has already been proven, most recently thanks to the spotlight shown on Melania's speech, that it is NOT the content, it's the messenger that people don't like. Michelle said nearly the exact words, but somehow coming from Melania's mouth, those exact words had a different meaning. We can point out that hypocrisy without throwing her or anyone else under the bus.
If Hillary is our next president and for the first time we are being represented by a woman in that office, we're going to see a whole new level of sexism in this country like we saw a whole new level of racism after Obama was elected. And I think that will be a wake up call to a lot of women currently supporting Trump. I think they will see men they've known and respected their whole lives turn into men they don't recognize every time there's a sexist joke aimed Hillary Clinton's way. I think they'll search for the person they used to know each time they hear that person blame Hillary Clinton's decisions on her gender. I think they'll see familiar faces in a whole new light when being told Hillary Clinton is solely responsible for the "gender divide" in this country. And hopefully they'll see who exactly is doing the dividing, and it won't be Her.