Michelle Obama: ‘The First Label They Put on Us as Black Women Is that We Are Angry’

EXCERPT:

M. OBAMA: “Also as black women, we are so easily labeled as angry and bitter. And let me tell you some of the most hurtful stuff that I experienced, you know, entering this life of public service at the heights that we entered into was during my husband's presidential campaign.”
HENSON: “Mm-hmm.”
M. OBAMA: “And just me telling the truth of who we were, you know? You know, just humanizing him as a man saying he's -- you know, he's a great man, but he's not perfect.”
HENSON: “Mm-hmm.”
M. OBAMA: “You know, he's got his foibles and his flaws trying to humanize him. The first thing that some female journalist said was that I was bitter. I was -- I was emasculating him just by sort of trying to tell the truth about what life is, right? And then you get labeled as angry --”
HENSON: “Mm-hmm.”
M. OBAMA: “-- you know, because you talk forcefully or passionately about something, even if it's in the context of -- of great joy --”
HENSON: “Mm-hmm.”
M. OBAMA: “-- and pride that the -- that the first label they put on us as black women is that we are angry.”