Michelle Obama is keeping it real about the significance of Black hairstyles and upkeep. On October 28, the attorney and former First Lady of the United States spoke to People about her latest project, a hardcover coffee table book titled The Look. Of course, Obama looked incredible in an olive green top and high-waisted pants, and as the interview continued, she moved on to the topic of hair.
“It’s freedom,” Obama says at one point as she discusses her affinity for braids. “This is what we understand about our hair as women of color.” She then goes on to explain that, while curly hair is absolutely beautiful, trying to fit into a society that praises the opposite, the time and monetary costs that come as a result are astronomical. The protective style allows her to actively participate in her own very hectic life, without all the frills. “When I am out of the public eye, I am swimming, I am playing tennis, I work out. I like to be active,” Obama says. “I don’t want to have to have a stylist with me.”
Obama went on to explain that she also understood the significance of choosing to wear braids as First Lady, especially at her and her husband’s portrait unveiling ceremony back in 2018. “I wanted to send a message to young women and all of us as women, that we should be the ones determining what is appropriate for our hair,” Obama said. “Not our boss, not our workplace, not some standard that doesn’t even reflect us...let that be my business.”
This isn’t the first time Obama has spoken about her hair journey. In 2022, she revealed that she actually wanted to wear more protective styles during her time in the White House but didn’t think the American people were ready for it. “Let me keep my hair straight,” Obama said, sharing her thought process at the time. “Let’s get health care passed.”
Race-based hair discrimination is unfortunately not uncommon in the United States. It is the entire basis of the CROWN Act, which activists have been trying to get passed on a federal level for years. As of today, 28 states have approved the legislation, but that leaves 22 to go. Until then, I applaud women like Michelle Obama for continuing to speak up about their experiences—in whichever hairstyle they deem appropriate.
