In a recent conversation about her new book, The Look, former First Lady Michelle Obama spoke candidly about whether the United States is truly ready to have a female president. While the book primarily focuses on fashion, Michelle also addressed politics in an interview with actress Tracee Ellis Ross, daughter of Diana Ross.

When asked if she had any political ambitions, Michelle was forthright: “We saw in the past election, sadly, we aren’t ready. That’s why don’t even ask me about running, because you all are lying—you’re not ready for a woman.” She emphasized that society still has much “growing up” to do, particularly as many men still feel they cannot be led by a woman.

From Michelle’s perspective, although other countries—such as Italy, Iceland, many African nations, Mexico, and Caribbean countries—have had female leaders, the U.S. remains an outlier among Western nations. This illustrates that beyond gender, there are deep cultural and systemic barriers that make the idea of a female president a significant challenge.

The discussion also touched on past female candidates in U.S. elections. Alyssa, one of the panelists, argued that candidates like Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris faced gender bias, yet were also flawed in other ways. Hillary Clinton, despite being highly qualified, was weighed down by her husband’s political legacy, while Kamala Harris had yet to emerge as the “perfect candidate” in the eyes of a broad electorate.

Sunny, another co-host, highlighted the systemic and societal issues as a major reason why America isn’t ready: “This is a country founded on racism and slavery. There is systemic racism and misogyny. We have never met anyone who admits to being racist, yet there are people who can look the other way when it comes to these issues. This country isn’t ready for a woman, and it certainly isn’t ready for a woman of color.” She pointed out that while it was remarkable for a Black man to become president, it also shows the limits of voter acceptance when it comes to female leadership.

Joy, the show’s host, agreed with Michelle’s assessment, citing Hillary Clinton’s experience: “Hillary Clinton was one of the most qualified candidates, even more qualified than any man she ran against, yet she lost to a reality TV host.” This underscores the point that individual competence alone cannot overcome deeply ingrained cultural and societal barriers.

Overall, Michelle Obama delivers a message that is both realistic and challenging: American women still face many prejudices, and for a woman—especially a woman of color—to become president, the U.S. must “grow up” both culturally and politically. She suggests that instead of placing the burden on a single individual, society must gradually change to create real equality in political leadership.