r/joebuddennetwork • u/Positive_Round_5142 • 2d ago

Michelle Obama talks about why she couldn’t or wouldn’t wear braids during her tenure as First Lady

1.4k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

413 comments sorted by

55

u/YourNameIsTobie 2d ago

She looks so young.

3

u/wildingflow 2d ago

Lowkey proving her point

4

u/Texas-Holden 1d ago

I think “you know what they say” from that person is meant in a good way. As in “black don’t crack” it’s said as Black people age better

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66

u/onyx737 2d ago

Meanwhile they glorify the idiot who is destroying the nation and his mail order wife who has posed nude that looks like post op Bruce Jenner. But anything the black President and first lady did was under so much scrutiny 🤦🏾‍♂️

16

u/nahurdonek 2d ago

If Michelle Obama did anything Melania did, a good amount of republicans would still be talking about it to this day. They would have used it against Obama to this day even tho he can’t run anymore, but they are quiet about melania. No hate to Melania, it’s just frustrating

9

u/Head_Somewhere4769 2d ago

Nah, hate to Melania. Not all of it. I still say the vast majority of it goes to Donald. However, all accounts say she is not to be pitied because she 100% agrees with all his policies and is also petty, shallow, and self-centered. Melania is not trapped in this marriage and she is exactly what you think she is- a gold digger with no other aspirations in life but to be rich.

9

u/nahurdonek 2d ago

No she’s definitely still a questionable person. I just meant no hate to her past life such as being a nude model in Europe. Her associations with Epstein and willingness to turn a blind eye as long as she gets money is a whole other topic.

3

u/GreenEyedTreeHugger 1d ago

I think she’s always been aware she’s a questionable person and it’s why she never wanted to be First Lady.

1

u/Head_Somewhere4769 1d ago

I want to be clear I don't care about her being a nude model. There's a market for that and I'm not going to shame women who participate in it. A lot of them do it to get by. My focus is on Melania in particular's character and ethics as an individual. That reaches far beyond a few nude photos.

2

u/GreenEyedTreeHugger 1d ago

Apparently him ignoring her opinion on the rose garden (she was team keep) pissed her off so much it’s why she’s permanently not in DC. So she does have boundaries.

6

u/Glittering-Relief402 1d ago

That idiot on the 700 club talked about Michelle like a dog for wearing a sleevless dress, but defended Melania for doing nude photography and calling the human body beautiful as his defense. They're literally just racist.

1

u/BiologyBooksBeats 13h ago

I remember my grandpa going off about how Michelle wasn’t doing enough as a first lady. Before Michelle, I didn’t know first ladies did mu ch more than smiled next to their husbands in public and do small philanthropic events on the side to rub elbows with other elites. Now i reflect on Melania, and while I try not to hate on her for her life choices… what the hell has she done at all as first lady? There’s no comparison. I really feel like Barack and Michelle were the only actual partnership that’s lived in the white house and truly cared about the state and wellbeing of the nation and humanity as a whole.

2

u/crazyfoolguy 2d ago

Fuck that is so funny I never realized how similar they looked I'm so glad you pointed it out

0

u/onyx737 2d ago

She isn't aging well. I saw someone post a side by side comparison and it was like 😳

•

u/Beneficial-Frame-6 3h ago

Agree with everything you said here! The irony is lost on all the magats. They have maybe 2 brain cells among them. Meanwhile they aren’t fit to wipe dirt off Michelle Obamas shoes.

1

u/kuunami79 2d ago

Standards are always significantly lower for white folks

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12

u/TopCommission6437 2d ago

She looks way better with braids

5

u/PsychologySouth6485 2d ago

I did not realize how pretty she was until just now. Seeing her comfortable, in our natural style. She looks REALLY good. The flashbacks to her straight hair still don't look flattering. You can tell she felt uncomfortable. Even without her saying it. Those comments from Obama about how Michelle would kill him if he did another term was also a pretty big hint.

8

u/LifeChampionship6 2d ago

I think she looks gorgeous in every hairstyle.

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24

u/xMaNrEbOrN7851 2d ago

Such a beautiful and elegant woman ❤️

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28

u/SoftGems- The Baddies 2d ago

she’s so right, this rings true at a regular office job, when i first started my job i didn’t wear braids till they got used to me then i had to mentally prepare myself for all the comments, questions and ww asking can they touch it.

11

u/StilettoJones_JR 2d ago

I was at my old job for almost 3 years and they got my ass, right as I was growing my hair out for braids for the first time, as a dude.

It may sound childish to others, but it's been a life long dream of mine to grow my hair out and get it braided, since leaving the military.

Now im barely a month in for my next role, and I'm wondering if I risk it or not.

It's hard out here.

4

u/complexdevoid 2d ago

I did the opposite. I purposefully would dress or do my hair a certain way during my interview and hiring process. That way my argument is that I advertised and they still contracted.

3

u/AngryBPDGirl 2d ago

I’m genuinely asking…has anyone ever actually asked you if they could touch your hair????

3

u/AyoLyn 1d ago

Most of my experiences have involved people touching my hair without asking.

The only person who asked first was a little Asian girl at McDonald’s who, with her parents’ help, used a translator to ask if she could touch my hair because she had never seen curly hair before.

1

u/guantanamojoe93 1d ago

Oh yeah quite a bit. Old women and lots of drunk white women.

1

u/lets_not_be_hasty 1d ago

It's a joke on TikTok that ginger people experience similar things to black people (I disagree wholeheartedly, we have nowhere the same prejudice) but as a redhead, I have had the same thing happen to me about my hair. I just find that funny.

•

u/AngryBPDGirl 7h ago

That is wild to me

2

u/25Coconuts 1d ago

Feel this heavy. I have locs and whenever I go on interviews I always tie my hair back into a ponytail and keep it back most of the time even after getting the job until I feel it’s okay to let my hair down

2

u/Thisistoture 1d ago

Which is precisely why she should’ve wore them. To say “who needs the hassle” she just proved they’re going to talk about her no matter what so she should’ve actually did something for Black women with her platform, but she didn’t. She conformed as much as humanely possible while still receiving hate.

2

u/Past-Persimmon-4604 1d ago

This makes me so sad for all of you in the thread.

I don't understand why people are so weird about hair. Especially with the concept that braids or other styles are not as put together as basic straightened hair. I always thought braids looked like someone was putting more effort into their looks.

I get that it's systemic racism that's so deeply engrained in our culture. It's sad.

I'm sorry for all of you who've had your hair touched, especially without consent. That shit is weird.

1

u/llamadramalover 2d ago

This happened to my daughter. She’s biracial I am not. She’s what some would call white passing, until she stands next to me and then its very obvious. She wanted braids so I got her braids as any good mother would. She spent at least the first week explaining “”yes actually I am black. No I don’t need to prove it.””

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u/SeismicRipFart 2d ago

I don’t care what your political stance is. The spirit of the country was just so much better with these two in office.

I really don’t have an accurate opinion on how a president should do his job. But I’m pretty sure at this point they are more important as role models than they are as actual political devices.

2

u/TotalRelative4676 2d ago

The other side didn’t bitch as much. Yeah. You’re right about that.

1

u/parentrapbattle 2d ago

But were we as ENTERTAINED?

1

u/therealallpro 2d ago

Agreed but also who cares. Your country has to be stronger than hoping you have a single good leader

0

u/cdazzo1 2d ago

Yeah, it was better when intelligence agencies were used for political purposes

0

u/teabagged_drumset 2d ago

Obviously you do care what people's political stance is.

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u/Square_Front_8198 2d ago

i understand the discourse is very sensitive around the topic, but i have to give her props for trying to be pragmatic.

yes, she should be entitled to present herself any way she pleases. but unfortunately for a figure like her, there’s too many undeserved ill effects that emerge from toxic media discourse.

again, nobody should have to curb their self-expression just to fit in — but i applaud her for making that sacrifice with the intent of “this is best for the political realities we have to contend with on the ground right now”.

not the first time she’s had to do that… and we don’t recognize that enough.

2

u/BirdImpossible9441 1d ago

Yup- gotta choose your battles wisely when you’re the first black First Lady of the United States lol

1

u/MasterMind_Blue 2d ago

By the thing is she black… she couldn’t even let her hair have a black form… sad

5

u/Square_Front_8198 2d ago

she was revolutionary for her circumstances — first black first lady is going to be under a microscope

i can empathize with the idea of someone being a walking target and not wanting to feed the flames. sometimes an unfair sacrifice is the cost of peace and quiet, and i respect what that entails.

2

u/MasterMind_Blue 2d ago

Very well said. I honestly have nothing to add. When you put it that way, I completely agree with you. I just wish more people on Reddit had your ability to articulate and defend their opinions as clearly and effectively as you just did.

2

u/Even-Flamingo-9574 1d ago

You articulated this perfectly

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1

u/P_lebbitor 1d ago

Everybody should curb their self expression to fit in. It's basic social courtesy.

1

u/VichelleMassage 1d ago

"Self-expression" and it's just your natural curly hair being braided. Come tf on, man.

1

u/P_lebbitor 15h ago

I mean by the same token 'I applaud her for making that sacrifice' and it's just not doing exactly what you want all the time. Should she have been able to hang a titty out too because it's natural?

1

u/VichelleMassage 15h ago

Comparing someone's natural hairstyle to a titty hanging out? Are Black women's hair really that offensive to you???

1

u/Motor_Mission9070 1d ago

It’s basic social curtesy to be ridiculed for your natural features and to be forced to conform to an unnatural beauty standard?

1

u/P_lebbitor 15h ago

No, don't be a histrionic dipshit. Dressing for the role you hold is society is the basic courtesy. If you want pure self expression maybe the top 0.01% is not for you.

•

u/Motor_Mission9070 34m ago

straight hair is for only certain roles in society? why is that? who made that up?

1

u/Motor_Mission9070 1d ago

It’s not a sacrifice that was unfamiliar to black women watching her at the time so it was understood. Glad that era is done with now.

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u/Redhotchiliman11 2d ago

Her husband wore a tan suit for Christs sakes. National news ! And he ate fucking spicy mustard on a hot dog. WHAT A BLACK GUY GOD I HATE HIM!!!/s

7

u/onyx737 2d ago

Pretty accurate sarcasm of how his presidency went

8

u/VastEmergency1000 2d ago

This is a deep cut, but remember early on when Michelle got criticized for wearing shorts, on vacation, at a national Park, during the summer...

0

u/Outer_Sanctum 2d ago

Whats even worse is the current president wore a blue suit 🤮, it was widespread national news as him being the "only" one to wear it too. That orange sicko!

These presidents suits are the worse!/s

0

u/cdazzo1 2d ago

I never heard about that. That's worse than when he smuggled guns to the Mexican drug cartels!

5

u/thisisatypoo 2d ago

Why aren't these news article writers being questioned and pressured about bullshit like that? The writers directly. Not just the sites and magazines.

8

u/South_Ad_7068 2d ago

Because it's like stepping on a roach in an infested house. You crush one and a thousand others are still there being pests.

2

u/StilettoJones_JR 2d ago

Depressingly poetic.

1

u/thisisatypoo 2d ago

So let's make a list of roaches. Along with the kitchens where hide.

1

u/cdazzo1 2d ago

Because they're Democrats. They're allowed to because it's good racism

1

u/GrapefruitSure8502 1d ago

Freedome of the press, unfortunately they have a first ammendement right to wright redicioulouse articles. 

4

u/Odd_Dance_4873 1d ago

My sons mom is white. Two separate house holds. As my son got older he wanted braids. His mom wouldn’t let him cuz she thought it looked too black. White people have an issue w black hair it makes them feel intimidated.

3

u/TheDevilishFrenchfry 1d ago

You ever ask her what she meant, looked too black? That's a wild ass statement to just say like nothing or as if its a valid statement like "it looks too demonic". Even wilder when she had a black boyfriend/husband and black son.

9

u/copaseticepiplectic 2d ago

How white is this sub

8

u/Advanced_Zucchini_45 2d ago

If only she had known the lady that followed her would have been a prostitute...

3

u/cfh4dmb 2d ago

I hate having g to say this as a white dude. But if you don’t get why the black community rightly uses their hair as a point of power and identity while we pretend it’s trite, you’re missing the point of systemic racism. It matters. A d it’s an absolutely at the core of alllll of it.

1

u/Glittering-Relief402 1d ago

Thanks for being understanding.

3

u/Brilliant_Rain5181 1d ago

They would have called it ghetto, that's why she didn't

5

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

2

u/racheletc 2d ago

was social media not huge during his second term?

3

u/Big-Recording-1002 2d ago

Yea I can’t see how big this person wants the Obamas to be 😭

1

u/Immediate_Stop2581 2d ago

Politics didn’t merge with social media until towards the end of his term

1

u/LifeChampionship6 2d ago

It was still in its infancy compared to what it is now.

2

u/Aggravating-Diet-663 2d ago

So much finer with the braids. She was beautiful always but the natural just makes her look 10x 🔥

2

u/sillybillyhillichurl 2d ago

This women’s tenacity always stuns me, lowkey i like her more than Obama

1

u/Missispina 1d ago

They are on my list favorites-will always be Jill and Joe 😭🤣. 

2

u/N1ko88 2d ago

So beautiful. People calling her any thing else are just racist and negative.

2

u/Thomas_peck 2d ago

Lol, the current administration is being compared to N@zi and p@dos daily.

Man up big Mike... I mean, woman up...whatever.

2

u/Kindly_Fennel_448 2d ago

Because it made her look more "black" and she couldn't

2

u/DookieBlossomgameIII 2d ago

I see this post brought out all the closeted homosexuals that think Michelle Obama is a man.

It's 2026, Charlie Kirk is dead, you can be who you want to now.

0

u/Premodice9911 2d ago

Riddle me this batman, why cant u find any pregnant photos of michelle 😂😂

2

u/DookieBlossomgameIII 2d ago

People publicly circulating their maternity photos is RECENT phenomenon. That was not something people used to do. You can Google most older famous women and won't find any photos of them pregnant.

So that's why, professor dumbass.

Additionally, I support you on your journey, time to be yourself. It gets better and what not.

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u/catsandnaps1028 2d ago

Meanwhile our current president is an orange bufoon that wears an ugly ass toupee and an oversized I'll fitting suit. Whether you hate them or love them the Obama's were ALWAYS classy

2

u/Longjumping-Ad-9444 2d ago

But did he wear a tan suit?

Your honor, I rest my case.

3

u/moodybetchh 2d ago

That tan suit was CLEAN🔥

The potato salads never like being outshined🤣🤣

2

u/ej62564 2d ago

Grow up

1

u/BookInteresting6717 2d ago

What? Why would she need to grow up? Nothing she said displays immaturity.

1

u/Temporary-Fox2328 2d ago

Damn if she do or damn if she don’t..They crapped their pants when First Lady Michelle Obama grew a vegetable garden in the back yard of the WH! She encouraged healthy food in Public schools and they literally crapped their pants again! So who’s the real demented ones?

1

u/MyDadLeftMeHere 2d ago

They call her Mike now, so I don’t think not wearing braids really did shit and just encouraged more bullshit.

1

u/Public_Job9786 2d ago

I mean….I know personally a woman, I’ll call her Sara. Sara absolutely freaked out back when Obama was in office because Michelle would wear a dress with no sleeves…while bringing up the “elegance” of Jackie O and how Michelle wasn’t being dignified enough, but Jackie also wore sleeveless dresses…hello, it was the 60’s! And Sara was in her late 50s/early 60s back during Obama’s terms. So, she saw what fashion was like back then and probably even wore those same fashions! Then she has a new talking point, Melania is so dignified and more first lady like…she refused to believe Melania posed nude until another white woman told her so….All that to say, racism was and is a huge obstacle for black people getting their job done and living their life because they can be the smartest in the room (Michelle being the most educated First Lady ever) or do what everyone else is doing (daring to wear a sleeveless dress) and people will still find fault simply because they are racist.

1

u/Successful_Shoe_8083 2d ago

wow, yandex got back up for this thread.

1

u/no_no_nora 2d ago

That's sad.

1

u/Draw-Working 2d ago

No Comment

1

u/Frosty-Sun4973 2d ago

The fist bump😂😂

1

u/Deep_Exchange7273 2d ago

She's so beautiful. I love her 😍

1

u/halkenburgoito 2d ago

This was back then when things were calm and classy, so the news has to make up shit to be excited about.

Now Trump'll say something insane and his tupee flies off in the wind and it'll just be another tuesday.

1

u/Queefsweatt 2d ago

They called her husband every name in the book for a tan suit they would’ve been hurling slurs we’ve never heard from the 1920s if she wore braids

1

u/design-your-universe 2d ago edited 2d ago

I never even considered this. Damn, it’s so tragic and absolutely fucked.

1

u/RevolutionLegal9222 2d ago

I think the moral of the story is that she had an opportunity to embrace everything she is saying she is now and don’t do it because she is really bout that until she isn’t getting any attention and is now leaning into it

1

u/stargarnet79 2d ago

I hate racists.

1

u/NoelleReece 2d ago

I understand. I didn’t feel comfortable wearing braids to work until post-COVID.

1

u/3bugsdad 2d ago

I say we vote them back in with full license to be their true selves. I need me some angry Obama.

1

u/Downtown-Break-5029 2d ago

Dang she looks so much younger now!

1

u/Apprehensive_Ad_1415 2d ago

The fist bump thing was wild! They were so good they had to make that a story smh

1

u/JONYLOCO 2d ago

That fist bump had Biden Laden vibes.

Per Fox News

Smfh....

1

u/LoveInPeace21 2d ago

I really wish she wore braids and/or her natural texture in the White House.

1

u/Tiberius1987 1d ago

Ah, life must be soo tough.

1

u/Odd_Dance_4873 1d ago

The pasty conservatives that constantly kept up on everything about her while she was in the whitehouse

1

u/Tiredofstupidity2 1d ago

From this class to trash to Jill/Joe class back to trash

1

u/Distinct-Crow4704 1d ago

She was born with big gums sir

1

u/Soft-Sea7012 1d ago

Her nutrition plan sucked. Less portions same food.

1

u/splashaddikt 1d ago

Saying a whole bunch of nothing 😂

1

u/Turbulent-Sense-8955 1d ago

But does she use speaker phone for everything or some headphone?

1

u/SwiftySanders 1d ago

I love her. 😍🤩

1

u/chasrm999 1d ago

Why has no one commented how superficial and shallow Amercians are. It makes my head hurt

1

u/Youngrazzy 1d ago

People make stuff up the natural hairstyles was not popular at the time.

1

u/xasialynnx 15h ago

Not true, the natural hair movement was making a crazy comeback esp during their second term. I did my big chop during his second term.

1

u/PossibilityNo8765 1d ago

This is so sad 😞. We're going to continue having a bunch of white Christian Men as the default for president. A ton of Democrats feel like anything else will be an automatic loss

1

u/OregonGreen242 1d ago

I miss a sane White House

1

u/Correct_Pace8899 1d ago

I think if she were First Lady now, she’d be sporting those braids! I’ve always liked her 😁

1

u/SoFloDan 1d ago

Reminds me of that Paul Mooney joke: they call it “relaxer” because it helps white people relax around you.

1

u/Kloud1911 1d ago

Bullshit answer. I’m so tired of never seeing natural black women anymore. It’s always wigs & other nonsense 👎🏿

1

u/MrJason300 1d ago

It’s sad/pathetic and makes so much sense smh. Some people would have lost in over time.

1

u/Crafty_Way426 16h ago

What’s Big Mike whining about now.

•

u/Alllove8795 1h ago

Its wild how they did that fist bump the coverage was all over the place for something so innocent. We would not be in the place we are in now if the right wing didn't freak out the way that they did when this man was elected frfr. The right wing went soooooo far right after him.

•

u/ednameaux 49m ago

If her husband couldn't wear a tan suit then she surely couldn't wear braids. Can you imagine the field day Fox would have had

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u/Current-Strategy-826 18m ago

Oh please she and her husband still carpet bombed 7 countries including ones of people who wear braids.

2

u/Krow101 2d ago

Let me guess ... racism.

2

u/South_Ad_7068 2d ago

... it kinda was the way completely mundane shit was in the news about them like they were in the files of a global pedophile or something.

Dijon mustard? The horror!

Foot on desk? The horror!

Tan suit? The horror!

Fist bump? The horror!

Plays basketball? The horror!

0

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

3

u/dad_jokesNbutt_stuff 2d ago

Those were pictures of here post presidency, once she was comfortable wearing braids.

0

u/Premodice9911 2d ago

Men cant get pregnant bro are u duh duh

3

u/LovelyMel18 2d ago

She did not wear braids at all when her husband was president

1

u/TheeMadQueen This Guy Is A Kook Yo 2d ago

loud and wrong. she wore them AFTER she was no longer first lady. The pic you’re referring to is from a portrait unveiling at the White House in 2022. Why do dumb lobotomized people like you exist on Reddit?

0

u/ejvela9425 2d ago

Who gives a shit about her hair.

6

u/The_SubGenius 1d ago

The same people making “jokes” about her being a man.

2

u/Such_Cranberry_6440 1d ago

Joke, right.

1

u/Quick-Sort-2528 11h ago

Ask Michael Lamar Robinson if its a joke

6

u/RyanAlemeda 1d ago

Fox News would have whole segments on her appearance. So right wing nut jobs cared.

4

u/Careless-Parfait-587 1d ago

Now look at the mental gymnastics they do to protect ol Cheeto

7

u/Bran-Da-Don 1d ago

We're you an adult during Obama's presidency? If not then just know they were criticized for the smallest, meaningless stuff. Obama once caused an uproar by wearing a tan suit.............

Unfortunately at that time alot of people cared about her hair.

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u/SolidSnek1998 1d ago

What about the mustard. You're forgetting about the mustard.

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u/Positive_Round_5142 2d ago

A lot of people did

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u/BoredzzzGame 1d ago

Oh wait you’re asking the question in bad faith. Another con in Texas playing dumb.

3

u/BoredzzzGame 1d ago

I mean if you watched the video it explains it 🤷 You want us to chew your food too?

2

u/guantanamojoe93 1d ago

The same people that lost their shit over a tan suit.

2

u/breeathee 1d ago

Who gives a shit about Kamala’s laugh?

2

u/MFK1229 1d ago

White people. White Americans.

2

u/EmbarrassedHighway76 1d ago

Unhinged conservatives mostly

2

u/saintTro 17h ago

White peoples

1

u/SurpriseSharp7139 1d ago

Regular normal people would think that. Normal people also didn’t not care about a tan suit.

All news and tabloids love making something out of nothing. It’s literally their job.

1

u/crusty_sloth 23h ago

People gave a lot of shit when Obama wore a tan suit.

-1

u/limbogumbo 2d ago

She bad mouth her husband within the first 10 minutes of the interview like she usually does.?

-1

u/Glum_Reason308 2d ago

I’m so glad I never have to see them in the White House ever again.

3

u/antiramie 1d ago

We’re all waiting for you to leave Reddit too.

2

u/Adept_Airline_239 1d ago

I guess they repaired the Russian data centers

2

u/AutumnMama 2d ago

Yes because Donald Trump is such a treat for the eyes 🙄

2

u/HiFrogMan 1d ago

Exactly how I feel about Bush

0

u/mistaharsh 2d ago

Apologetically Black

0

u/Premodice9911 2d ago

A black man u mean ?

0

u/Successful_Shoe_8083 2d ago

she is hotter with braids.

0

u/Premodice2026nikka 2d ago

Ew bro thats gay, u know thats a dude right ?

0

u/AcctAlreadyTaken 2d ago

It's crazy that not even being the First Lady let's you rest.

0

u/Premodice2026nikka 2d ago

What makes u so sure shes actually a lady ? 

0

u/playmeforever 2d ago

You watch too much right wing slop, the reason they started that conspiracy theory was just plain racism btw

1

u/Premodice2026nikka 2d ago

Why cant u find any pregnant photos of her literally anywhere ? 

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u/Fluffy_Rent_5280 2d ago

That's a dude

1

u/HerrGhost 2d ago

Ah yes, the dude that gave birth twice.

0

u/ScarSignal7723 2d ago

I’m so sick of people glazing these 2 when Obama was dropping just as much bombs on kids and women while putting a smile on his face . Just cuz he had charisma doesn’t excuse the war crimes

0

u/BobDogGod 1d ago

Do braids go along well with drone bombing children to death?