Glamour USA – January 2017

@Glamourmag
Role Model
From far left: the
First Lady talking
girls’ education
with actress Yara
Shahidi at Glamour’s
Inter national Day
of the Girl panel in
2016; as a Glamour
Woman of the
Year in 2009
14 glamour.com
Thank You, FLOTUS!
For your example. For your authenticity. And most of all,
for your damn good advice.
ichelle Obama is a hugger. We at Glamour
learned this back in 2007, when we first
met her on the campaign trail for her husband,
then senator Barack Obama. She
extended her arms along with a smile.
In the 10 years that have followed, Mrs. Obama has sat down
with Glamour five more times—most recently on the International
Day of the Girl this past fall. (Girls worldwide joined via
Skype and asked FLOTUS, whom one called “the First Lady
of the World,” their questions about confidence, her Let Girls
Learn initiative, and her favorite novel.) By her words and
example, she’s taught women and girls everywhere to be proud
of their intelligence, to speak their minds, and to advocate for
themselves and others. (She also nails the fashion thing; see
page 100.) As she leaves the White House, we’re revisiting
her best Glamour moments. What will Mrs. O do next? One
request: Memoir, please!
On nailing a job interview: “We, as women, don’t like to
talk about ourselves. This is one time where you have to brag
a little bit. You’ve got to pump your chest out. You’ve got to
[wheel] out your bag of goodies. You’ve got to pull yourself
out of the team and shine a light on yourself.” —May 2015
On prioritizing yourself: “I have always tried to put my kids
first and then…put myself a really close second, as opposed
to fifth or seventh. One thing that I’ve learned from male
role models is that they don’t hesitate to invest in themselves,
with the view that, if I’m healthy and happy, I’m
going to be a better support to my spouse and children. And
I’ve found that to be the case.” —December 2009
On reframing labels: “Aggressive. That’s the word that
[has] been used for me often. Too aggressive, too loud, too
bossy…. Well, aggressive is assertive. Loud is confidence.
It’s how you take those words. Maybe they were said to you,
or about you, in a negative light, but you turn them around
and you make them positive attributes. Because, let me tell
you, to compete…you’re going to have to be aggressive. And
you’ve got to be confident. And there are times when you
need to be loud and speak your mind. I’ve had to do that in
every room of power that I’ve sat in.” —October 2016
On finding an equal partner: “[Barack] was always special,
you know? And not special, like, He’s gonna be important,
he’s gonna be president. He was special in terms of his honesty,
his sincerity, his compassion for other people. Cute’s
good. But cute only lasts for so long, and then it’s, Who are
you as a person? Don’t look at the bankbook or the title. Look
at the heart. Look at the soul. Look at how the guy treats his
mother and what he says about women…and, more important,
how does he treat you?” —December 2009
White House Field Trip
Mrs. Obama, Sarah
Jessica Parker, and Kerry
Washington discuss
support for military
families for Glamour’s
May 2015 cover story.
OBAMA AND SHAHIDI: PAUL MORIGI/GETTY IMAGES FOR GLAMOUR. OBAMA IN RED: MATTHIAS VRIES-MCGRATH. OBAMA, PARKER, AND WASHINGTON: PATRICK DEMARCHELIER