There’s countless reasons why former First Lady Michelle Obama is so beloved. For eight years the world saw a woman who made life look effortless. She easily transitioned from being a mom, wife, feminist, health nut, without missing a beat, all the while keeping it classy.
Now with the release of her memoir “Becoming,” we are getting an even more authentic look at this remarkable woman in a way we’ve never seen or heard before.
On Dec. 1, in a rare and candid moment during her book tour in Brooklyn, Obama kept things honest about the realities of the “lean in” women’s movement.
Speaking at Barclays Center on Saturday evening, Obama candidly touched on the struggles of ensuring a functioning work-life balance. “That whole ‘so you can have it all.’ Nope, not at the same time. That’s a lie,” Obama told an audience that had come to see her on her Becoming book tour. “And it’s not always enough to lean in, because that shit doesn’t work all the time.”
The amused crowd erupted at her blunder causing Obama to quickly apologize for her blunder. “I forgot where I was for a moment! I thought I was at home y’all. I was getting real comfortable up in here.”
The term was first coined by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg in her 2013 book in which she said in order for women to achieve success, women need to project confidence and “sit at the table” in order to be heard. The way to do physically do that is by “leaning in.”
Sandberg herself said earlier this year that “leaning in” isn’t as effective as she once believed because women weren’t better off today than they were in 2013.
“We are stuck at less than 6 percent of the Fortune 500 CEO jobs and their equivalent in almost every country in the world,” she said in USA Today. “There were 19 countries run by women when “Lean In” was published. Today there are 11. Congressional numbers have inched up a tiny bit. And so, overall, we are not seeing a major increase in female leadership in any industry or in any government in the world, and I think that’s a shame.”
The term “lean in” was first coined by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg in her 2013 book in which she said in order for women to achieve success they need to project confidence and “sit at the table” in order to be heard. According to Sandberg, the way to physically do this is by “leaning in.”
Sandberg herself said has said that “leaning in” isn’t as effective as she once believed because women weren’t better off today than they were in 2013. Last year the COO remarked that women “are stuck at less than 6 percent of the Fortune 500 CEO jobs and their equivalent in almost every country in the world,” she said in USA Today. “There were 19 countries run by women when ‘Lean In’ was published. Today there are 11. Congressional numbers have inched up a tiny bit. And so, overall, we are not seeing a major increase in female leadership in any industry or in any government in the world, and I think that’s a shame.”
It didn’t take long for Twitter to reveal just how much they loved seeing Obama get comfy.
Anyway I got to hear Michelle Obama accidentally say “shit” and dance tonight in front of 1000’s of people and it truly made my life. She’s a real one. So funny. So raw. So real. SO INSPIRING! pic.twitter.com/oQulqcG6nt
— Sammy (@SamanthaPaige31) December 2, 2018
If you were one of the 19,000 people at Barclays that night, you’ll definitely want to tell your kids about it one day.
It’s timeless advice from a timeless lady.
Listening to the queen, Michelle Obama, at Barclay’s. Speaking about marriage and kids, and how it’s still not equal for women: “You can’t have it all at the same time. It’s not enough to lean in, because that shit doesn’t work all the time.”????
— Laura Keeley (@laurakeeley) December 2, 2018
It might be true that you can’t have it all, but let’s be real, Obama will always be pretty darn close in our eyes.
It was clearly a night of laughs, cheers, and tears.
Saw Michelle Obama last night and about relationships she said, “…it is not always enough to lean in, because that shit does not always work.” Her slipped cuss had the sold out crowd howling and cheering. Her checkered boots had me swooning. Also, everything else. Actual tears. pic.twitter.com/mpIH3ffD2o
— Kat Jetson (@katjetson) December 2, 2018
We can’t wait to hear what she’ll say next. She’ll return to Barclays on Dec. 19.
