Michelle Obama’s Advice To Men Regarding Gender Equality: ‘Be better’
This past weekend was a highlight reel for feminism as huge names graced the stage of the United States of Women Summit. President Barack Obama delivered another frame-worthy quote in his speech by saying, “I may be a little grayer than I was eight years ago, but this is what a feminist looks like.” But the brightest moment may have come from First Lady Michelle Obama.
After the crowd was able to process that Michelle Obama was on stage with Oprah Winfrey, they were able to soak in all of the wisdom the two shared in their dialogue about gender equality and what needs to happen to make it a reality. Namely, according to Obama, men need to “be better.”
“Be better at everything,” said Obama. “Be better fathers. Good lord, just being good fathers who love your daughters and are providing a solid example of what it means to be a good man in the world, showing them what it feels like to be loved. That is the greatest gift that the men in my life gave to me.”
Obama went on to explain that men must work to improve in all facets of their lives to improve those of women. The fact that her experience of never being harmed by a man is a “rare reality” is a haunting fact.
“Men can be better husbands, which is — be a part of your family’s life. Do the dishes. Don’t babysit your children. You don’t babysit your own children. Be engaged,” she said according to Huffington Post. “Don’t just think going to work and coming home makes you a man. Being a father, being engaged, all that stuff is important. Be a better employer. When you are sitting at a seat of power at a table of any kind and you look around you just see you, it’s just you and a bunch of men around a table, on a golf course, making deals, and you allow that to happen, and you’re OK with that — be better.”
Watch a video of the entire 40-minute conversation below.
Photo Credit: YouTube