The Emergence Of An Unusual Topic

I suppose that I should "thank" reader Aaron for emailing this piece to me. I've heard of people following Michelle Obama's fashion style. There's been an ongoing debate about whether she's too bossy and emasculating President-Elect Barack Obama. Folks have talked her being a mom and her height (she's 5'10¾"). But the latest debate about her is unusual.

Yes, Salon.com actually put up a piece called "First Lady Got Back" by a black woman who is glad that Mrs. Obama's big booty will soon take up residence in the White House. It has generated 450 comments thus far. Erin Aubry Kaplan, a writer for Essence, opines: "In modern times, the butt has demarcated class and stature among black society itself. Emphasizing it or not separates dignified black women from ho's [sic], party girls from professionals, hip-hop from serious. (Black women are not the only ones with protruding behinds, by the way, but they're certainly considered its source. How many gluteally endowed nonblack women have been derided for having a black ass? Well, Hillary, for one.) But Michelle is bringing those two falsely divided minds together in a single presentation -- finally, unity for the real world! Talk about a power base. Thanks to Michelle, looking professional and provocative in a distinctly black way will become not only acceptable but also part of a whole presidential look that's more, well, inclusive. Now we'll all be able to wear leggings to board meetings; we'll sport pencil skirts sans the long jackets meant to cover the offending rear at big conferences where we have to make a good impression. It turns out that Sir Mix-A-Lot, he of 'Baby Got Back' fame, was not a novelty but a prophet. Who knew? Give that guy a Cabinet post."

Mom Logic concurs with Ms. Kaplan's piece. Michelle Obama Watch (which calls Ms. Kaplan a "handmaiden of misogyny"), What About Our Daughters (who calls her a "slave auctioneer"), and Racialicious blogs take issue with the piece. Writers at the conservative Weekly Standard, National Review Online, NewsBusters.org, Hot Air and KXNet.com put in snarky responses to the Salon.com piece, wondering why liberals don't discuss more substantive matters. Feeling the heat, Salon.com, in turn, defends running the piece.

Unlike some of the above commenters, I don't have a problem with the subject matter per se. Yet my libertarian feminist mind wonders: why is it appropriate to dissect Michelle Obama's intimate body parts and turn her into the Hottentot Venus of Capitol Hill, but not dissect President-Elect Barack Obama's intimate body parts? Let's rate his booty. How about dissecting First Lady Laura Bush's breasts, or guess President George Bush's penis size while we're at it? So count me somewhat, but not entirely, in with the What About My Daughters/Michelle Obama Watch/Racialicious camp on this one.

Well, at least I learned a new word thanks to Ms. Kaplan, although it is misspelled in her piece: coruscating.