November 29, 2011

Category: First Lady

First Lady: Uppity? “I just own my happiness!”

Last week mush-mouth Rush Limbaugh was up to his old moronic tricks chasing his tail and flapping his gums like a pigeon in its first bird bath. Wet winged, err right-winged and ignoring the fodder that is Herman Cain’s antics, he chose to pick on someone else? The First Fam– specifically Michelle Obama. Limbaugh explained the booing of the First Lady at a NASCAR event in Florida as the crowd’s frustration with her “screwy” expenditures and her “uppity-ism.” Uppity-ism?

Most (Black) folk know that historically Blacks where deemed as being “uppity” by Whites who thought they were trying to rise above their station in life. Back then these were considered fighting words, but today I’m feeling like if Michelle Obama, a woman who is educated, physically fit, mad stylish, passionate, driven, a successful attorney in her own right, a fantastic and nurturing mom who likes to vacation in Martha’s Vineyard is considered “uppity” especially by Rush and his NASCAR groupies then please sign me up. I’ll be one uppity Black woman! As the First Lady has stated, “I have freed myself to put me on the priority list and say, yes, I can make choices that make me happy.” I’m all for that: Uppity, Happy & Free.

“I know what makes me happy. I pick the clothes that make me happy– sometimes people like them, sometimes they don’t. I try to listen to my own internal guide. My message to women: Do what makes you feel good, because there’ll always be someone who thinks you should do it differently. Whether your choices are hits or misses, at least they’re your own. I have freed myself to put me on the priority list and say, yes, I can make choices that make me happy, and it will ripple and benefit my kids, my husband, and my physical health. That’s hard for women to own; we’re not taught to do that. It’s a lesson that I want to teach my girls so they don’t wait for their ‘aha’ moment until they’re in their 30s like I was (laughs). Maybe they can experience it a little earlier.”
– First Lady Michelle Obama in Prevention Magazine

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

8 Responses to “First Lady: Uppity? “I just own my happiness!”Comment RSS feed

  • Joicelyn
    November 29th, 2011 3:34 pm
    #1

    Free! Sharing this. Thanks Nicole!

  • Kymberlee
    November 29th, 2011 9:38 pm
    #2

    Great article Hottness & I am so sure I have been uppity for awhile if that qualifies as uppity from the Mrs. 1st Lady!

  • AliciaFiasco
    November 30th, 2011 3:38 pm
    #3

    This is awesome! And I’m greatful I’ve had my a-ha in my 20s! Progress with every generation!

  • Terri Wilkinson
    November 30th, 2011 6:54 pm
    #4

    Loved this and will now make sure to srive to be as uppity as I can be!!

  • Andrea Battle
    November 30th, 2011 10:52 pm
    #5

    You go Lady Michelle!! You make me soooo proud. My 3 year old granddaughter will have you and her Mom as great role models. Please keep on keeping on- you are so important & are making a difference in many of our lives! I love you!

  • shannon ah
    December 1st, 2011 6:41 am
    #6

    i think you are on to something, and as always, Nicole, you are so on point. And uppity.

  • Melinda Weekes
    December 1st, 2011 4:15 pm
    #7

    LOVE THIS. LOVE HER! LOVE YOU for noticing uppitiness and celebrating it out loud!

  • Claudia
    December 11th, 2011 1:03 pm
    #8

    Owning her happiness & living her way regardless to others judgement. That’s the mark of a true lady who is owning her life with grace. I love our First Lady; if living this way as a woman of color is Uppity then I’m also Uppity, count me in!