Michelle Obama Lectures Men: 'Y'all need to go talk to each other'
Source: Newsweek Magazine
BY ANNA MENTA ON 11/1/17 AT 3:21 PM
Michelle Obama has a message for the men of the world: Do better, try harder and most importantly, communicate more.
On Wednesday, the former first lady sat down with poet Elizabeth Alexander on the second day of the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, the first of an annual event. The topic turned to gender, and Obama had some choice words: She noted that women tend to communicate, reflect and support each other better than mensomething she feels needs to change.
"Y'all should get you some friends," she laughed, pointing to the men in the audience. "Y'all need to go talk to each other about your stuff, because there's so much of it! Talk about why y'all are the way you are."
In fairness, Obama also addressed the ways she feels women contribute to sexism and male entitlement. "We raise our girls to be strong, and sometimes we take care not to hurt men. And I think we pay for that a little bit," she said. "Are we protecting our men too much, so that they feel a little entitled, a little self-righteous?"
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Read more: http://www.newsweek.com/michelle-obama-lectures-men-698887
Skittles
(153,174 posts)I wonder if she thinks THAT contributes to that entitled superiority complex?
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)Coventina
(27,164 posts)Even here on DU most think that taking the husband's name is a good thing.
At least, I gather that based on the threads I've seen on the subject.
monmouth4
(9,709 posts)party. It was all Mrs. Clifford, Mrs. Joseph...Awful..
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)Birth certificate not the same as your social security so NOW you need a marriage license! FOR A FEE.
I call this discrimination against women!
Coventina
(27,164 posts)angstlessk
(11,862 posts)Coventina
(27,164 posts)It makes zero sense to me.
kag
(4,079 posts)When I married, my husband had two brothers who clearly were never going to have children (for health and other reasons). I had three brothers of my own who, I knew, wanted families--and have since gone on to have them. I knew that my own family name would live on without any help from me, but my husband's name, unless I raised my children with it, would disappear.
Also, I was never that attached to my family name. My father was no hero, and my husband IS the love of my life. I would so much rather share a name with my husband than with my father.
My husband would have been fine with me keeping my name, but I chose to change it for what I thought were good reasons. Never regretted it.
csziggy
(34,137 posts)That is what my little sister did - she never changed her name, through two marriages. Her four children by her first husband all have their father's name. No sweat, no hassle.
TheKingofSoup
(11 posts)Not to disempower anybody, but it strikes me that women who refuse their husband's name are usually insisting on keeping their father's. So applause for the independent spirit, but patronymic chauvinism remains intact.
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)TheKingofSoup
(11 posts)Perhaps everybody should get to choose their own name at some point, and just keep it.
Coventina
(27,164 posts)To avoid the Patriarchy.
Not such a bad idea.
whathehell
(29,082 posts)We are clearly complicit in our own abuse since many take their husband's names... Seriously, it was probably our idea to "routinely" give our kids his last name too!..You can blame the whole fucking Patriarchy on women, for sure!
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)The church would do all the paperwork...and viola...I am Mrs.so and so
whathehell
(29,082 posts)whathehell
(29,082 posts)I guess that was our idea too.
SkyDaddy7
(6,045 posts)That is a good question. I would think Michelle Obama would say it certainly plays a role. The tradition of the woman taking the man's name come's from when women belonged to their fathers until he gives her away to another man, her husband, and now she is his so she takes his name.
My wife took my name 25yrs ago but it was done without us even discussing it. If we had it to do over again maybe I would take her name? Not sure exactly what we would do...To be honest I would probably just do what my wife would want because I honestly would not care.
...I do have a question though...When two people marry regardless of who the two are what options do they have? Please tell me it is not law that married couples share a last name?
...They could decide to both use one of their names like so many women have done taking their husband's name.
...Or they could decide not to change their names at all?
I was just curious...Could they come up with a completely new last name?
Skittles
(153,174 posts)YUCK
I don't think women realize how much they participate in the charade.
Anyone can legally change his/her name.
Corvo Bianco
(1,148 posts)Miigwech
(3,741 posts)long as it isn't in the 'locker room' (right, trump)