Michelle Obama Slammed for Complaining About People Being Fixated on Her Outfits: 'Insufferable'

Michelle Obama is opening up about the criticism she's faced throughout her years in the public eye.

During a new episode of the “IMO” podcast recorded at the Essence Festival, the former first lady sat down with Keke Palmer for what was described as an “unforgettable conversation about style, identity, purpose and the power of defining yourself on your own terms.”

As the discussion turned to life in politics, Obama recalled how media coverage often focused more on what she wore than on the message she was delivering.

“This is when I understood, like, this is politics,” she told Palmer. “Oh, they're coming after me because I'm useful, and they're trying to beat my husband [Barack Obama], so they're trying to slow me down.”

She went on to explain that the attention surrounding her wardrobe quickly became a pattern.

“And some of those first articles, they would always start, ‘She was wearing a purple sheath, and she had on this pair of shoes.’ It wouldn't matter what I said, Keke. The article would start with what I had on. And I realized, ‘Oh, this is how they do women in politics,’” Michelle ranted.

The bestselling author argued that discussions about her appearance frequently overshadowed the speeches she worked hard to deliver.

“This is how we treat women in public life. We diminish them to just what they look like and not what I'm saying," she said.

"Now, I'm giving him passionate speeches. I think people know now that I can give a speech. That wasn't just that. Didn't just start happening; I was always really good on the campaign trail. I was always a powerful orator,” Michelle added.

Michelle's remarks quickly sparked debate online, with many critics sharing their opinions in the comments section.

“Insufferable never ending nightmare,” one wrote.

Another added, “Complaining about life while she sits there in at least $50k worth of clothes, jewelry, hair, makeup, etc. Insufferable b----…”

“I have a feeling she's gearing up to run in 28....🤔,” a third guessed.

“OMG is this woman ever going to get out of victim mode?” a fourth slammed.

A fifth chimed in, writing, “I thought they dressed her like a clown. She rarely looked good.”

Another user vented, “Says the bitter, insufferable, husband-bashing, unpatriotic, ungrateful…..should I go on???”

The latest backlash comes just a month after Michelle faced criticism over comments she made about resilience in the workplace.

Columnist Emma Beddington questioned whether the former first lady's advice reflected the realities facing younger workers today.

“It’s decades since the former US first lady was an employee. The world of work she grew up in has long gone,” read the subhead of Emma's June 8 column.

“Obama has navigated exceptionally tricky circumstances and put up with endless unjustified flak – she has plenty to teach everyone about grace under pressure. But there’s an implicit criticism of Gen Z workers in her words. You see that a lot (they’re undisciplined! They won’t use the phone! They want mental health days!) and it feels unfair and unhelpful,” she wrote.

The criticism comes after Michelle encouraged young professionals to embrace difficult jobs and challenging work experiences.

“One thing that’s important is to learn how to do something you don’t like to do and be good at it,” the 62-year-old former FLOTUS told the audience during a podcast recording in London.

“Every experience – the bad boss, the boring assistant job, the job you thought that you weren’t appreciated, the one that didn’t give you the assignment you wanted when you wanted it – all of that is learning to be resilient," she said.