Michelle Obama addressed speculation about her marriage and explained her recent absence from public events had nothing to do with divorce rumors.
Michelle Obama dismissed ongoing rumors about a split from former President Barack Obama during a podcast appearance where she addressed her recent absence from public events and the assumptions that followed.
Speaking on Sophia Bush’s Work in Progress podcast, the former First Lady made it clear she’s not walking away from her 31-year marriage but rather choosing how she spends her time.
“I mean, so much so that this year people were, they couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself, that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing,” she said.
The speculation began after Michelle was noticeably absent from several high-profile events with her husband, leading to whispers about a possible rift.
However, the 61-year-old lawyer and author explained that her absence had nothing to do with marital issues and everything to do with setting priorities.
“I still care about girls’ education. The library is opening in a year from now, (but there are) certain things I am and am not doing with the library,” she said, referring to the Obama Presidential Center, which is under construction in Chicago.
She also spoke about the pressure women face when they choose to say no.
“But, the interesting thing is that when I say no (to a project), for the most part, people are like, ‘I get it’ and I’m OK. That’s the thing that we as women struggle with – disappointing people.”
Michelle expressed frustration with how quickly the public jumped to conclusions about her marriage instead of recognizing her autonomy.
“This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself. But, that’s what society does to us. We start actually finally going, ‘What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?’”
Michelle and Barack Obama have been married since 1992 and have two daughters. The Obama Presidential Center is scheduled to open in 2025.
