In Michelle Obama’s Becoming, one particular line makes readers pause and think: is the title “the first Black First Lady in history” a mark of honour or a quiet reminder of discrimination? Until Michelle, every First Lady in the White House had been white. While much of the world cheered for the Obamas and their message against racism, some still held back, unable to fully accept the change. That’s why Michelle writes: “As the only African American First Lady to step into the White House, I was different by default. I knew I wouldn’t automatically get the same respect and admiration my white predecessors had received. I had to be better, faster, and stronger than those before me.”
In countries like India, where patriarchy still dominates and womanhood is often wounded, many women have had their journey of infinite evolving cut short. Though they dream of becoming someone, they are forced to become what others expect. Like animals being priced at cattle markets, girls too are given a value. Even though racism has been challenged, its deep roots remain. The smiles and silence of the privileged often grow from this hidden injustice.
We live in a world that proudly celebrates feminism and Women’s Day, but still allows discrimination and exclusion to hurt women–especially someone like Michelle, a Black woman at the top. That’s why the title Becoming fits so well: this is not a finished story. It’s an ongoing journey. As First Lady of the United States of America she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world.
“Becoming” offers male readers and white readers a constant opportunity to see life through the eyes of an extraordinarily observant and self-reflective black woman: “Princeton (University) was extremely white and very male. There was no avoiding the facts. Men on campus outnumbered women almost two to one. Black students made up less than 9 percent of my freshman class … we were now a glaring anomaly–poppy seeds in a bowl of rice. … I’d never been part of a predominantly white community before. I’d never stood out in a crowd or a classroom because of the colour of my skin. It was jarring and uncomfortable, at least at first, like being dropped into a strange new terrarium, a habitat that hadn’t been built for me.”
When Oprah Winfrey, in an interview, asked Michelle, “Why did you choose the title Becoming?”, she answered: “My journey is the journey of always continually evolving.” “The worst question adults ask children–and the one I hate the most–is: ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ As if there’s an end to it. The truth is, we are all always becoming. We never stop.”
In India, many women never get the chance to grow. Though they wish to become something, society turns them into what others desire. Their wings are clipped just when they try to rise toward the sky of knowledge. Still, some manage to bloom, even through fire and pain.
In North India, a few brave women turned the red soil into a battlefield. Sakshi Malik and her fellow athletes threw their medals into the sea–not out of anger, but as a bold protest against abuse by powerful men in sports academies. Wrestler Vinesh Phogat was once sidelined over a tiny 100-gram weight issue, but her name still shines in the hearts of millions, like gold. When Kerala faced a devastating flood and bridges collapsed, the Indian Army built a new Bailey bridge overnight. Among the male officers leading the mission stood a strong and proud woman–Major Seetha Shelke. Two women from Kerala–Dilna from Kozhikode and Roopa from Puducherry–faced deadly waves and storms at sea, yet steered their boats safely to shore. Like wildflowers blooming in rough weather, they stunned everyone with their courage.
If burned trees can bloom again, imagine how beautifully girls can grow and flourish when nurtured with care and freedom. Just one thing is needed: Never step away from your infinite evolving. Keep rising. Keep fighting.
