Debunking False Claims
PolitiFact has repeatedly debunked false claims that former first lady Michelle Obama was born a man, but they persist online. A Feb. 15 Facebook post, for example, claims that official government documents “expose” her “14 year history as a man.”
A video in the Facebook post cites what a July 2022 News Punch blog post described as “official documents obtained from the Illinois State Board of Elections” that supposedly “reveal Obama officially changed her sex to female.”
The image in both the blog post and the Facebook post appears to show a voter registration card for Michelle Obama. In the space to indicate the applicant’s sex, the M is circled, and in a section for the applicant’s name, if changed, Obama’s maiden name is misspelled: “Michelle L Robison.” Her maiden name is Robinson.
Matt Dietrich, a public information officer for the Illinois State Board of Elections, told PolitiFact that the agency doesn’t keep original voter registration cards like the one that appears in the posts.
The card pictured in the video didn’t originate at the Illinois agency, Dietrich said. “We have no record of this voter’s record ever indicating any gender other than female.”
We contacted the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners to try to learn more about the purported voter registration card in the posts but didn’t hear back.
However, it has long been established that Obama was never a man. She was born Michelle LaVaughn Robinson in January 1964 and gave birth to two daughters. We rate claims that government documents prove she was a man Pants on Fire!
Michelle Obama’s Background and Achievements
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is a lawyer, writer, and the wife of the 44th President, Barack Obama. She was the first African-American First Lady of the United States. Through her four main initiatives, she has become a role model for women and an advocate for healthy families, service members and their families, higher education, and international adolescent girls education.
Michelle Obama was born in January 1964 in Chicago. She grew up in a loving household with her parents and older brother. She attended Princeton University, where she studied sociology and African-American studies. After graduating from Harvard Law School, she worked at a law firm in Chicago, where she met Barack Obama.
Michelle Obama’s true calling was working with people to serve their communities and their neighbors. She served in various roles, including assistant commissioner of planning and development in Chicago’s City Hall and the founding executive director of the Chicago chapter of Public Allies. She later joined the University of Chicago, where she developed community service programs and promoted volunteerism.
As First Lady, Michelle Obama launched several initiatives to address important issues. In 2010, she launched Let’s Move!, a campaign to combat childhood obesity and promote healthier lifestyles for children. In 2011, she co-founded Joining Forces, an initiative to support service members, veterans, and their families. In 2014, she launched the Reach Higher Initiative to inspire young people to pursue higher education. And in 2015, she launched Let Girls Learn, a global initiative to help girls around the world receive an education.
Throughout her time as First Lady, Michelle Obama worked tirelessly to support military families, promote healthy living, and encourage young people to reach their full potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is there any evidence that Michelle Obama was born a man?
A: No, there is no credible evidence to support the claim that Michelle Obama was born a man. These false claims have been debunked by fact-checking organizations.
Q: What initiatives did Michelle Obama launch as First Lady?
A: Michelle Obama launched several initiatives, including Let’s Move!, Joining Forces, Reach Higher, and Let Girls Learn. These initiatives focused on promoting healthy lifestyles, supporting service members and their families, encouraging higher education, and advocating for girls’ education worldwide.
Q: What is Michelle Obama’s background?
A: Michelle Obama is a lawyer and writer. She was born and raised in Chicago and attended Princeton University and Harvard Law School. Before becoming First Lady, she worked in various roles, including at a law firm and at the University of Chicago.
Q: What is Michelle Obama’s legacy?
A: Michelle Obama’s legacy includes her advocacy for healthy living, support for military families, promotion of higher education, and dedication to girls’ education worldwide. She has inspired countless individuals and made a lasting impact through her initiatives and public service.