are bound to end up looking dumb.
There is evidently something of a flap going on about whether Michelle Obama wears too many sleeveless dresses to too many formal events. I hesitate to even post about this, as I don't consider it anyone's business but hers.
But one of the articles responding to this flap has a historian of First Ladies commenting on Huffington Post that Michelle is by no means the first First Lady to bare her arms.
What's interesting is how many people are assuming the flap is caused by racism. I believe in racism, I really do. It is pervasive, insidious and many other bad, bad things. And it may have some bearing in this situation.
But I don't think that is the major issue. The historian is comparing Michelle to Dolley Madison and Mary Todd Lincoln and others. The most recent First Lady mentioned is Nancy Reagan. I know she wasn't really all that long ago, but...
I think people are reacting to this because our most recent First Lady, Laura Bush, was a very conservative dresser, as was her predecessor, Hillary Clinton. It's interesting to bring up a historian's perspective, but mostly because it makes clear how quickly we forget our history. People find Michelle's sense of style shocking simply because it's been a while since we've seen a First Lady looking so good. I predict they will get used to it sooner rather than later, and eventually people will forget it was even an issue.
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