Michelle Obama was a role model and an inspiration. She seemed to be the embodiment of the perfect First Lady for modern times. In November when Melania Trump moved into the position of the First Lady, I was angry that I would see her in the place of my favorite member of the political scene.
It was not that I dislike Melania Trump; it was just the absence of such a powerful woman that made me feel off. However, recent events suggest that Melania Trump may have more of a voice than I previously thought.
Her “Be Best” campaign struck me as powerful and intelligent in a way that is not being covered in the media. The campaign focuses on the harmful effects of social media, mostly referring to children. Critics were quick to point out that her husband frequently uses social media in damaging and often horrendous ways to which the Trumps had no response.
While the coverage in the media was negative, I believe that Melania Trump is a smart woman. It seems that she created this campaign as a way to, put plainly, take a shot at Donald Trump.
It is quite possible that “Be Better” is the message that she wants to send to her husband. She publicly stated how much online presence means to her, saying, “I feel strongly that as adults, we can and should ‘be best’ at educating our children about the importance of a healthy and balanced life.” She highlights the importance of adults being role models for children.
The media portrays the First Lady as a woman of little intelligence. None of the news stations have even entertained the notion that the irony of this campaign is not lost on Melania Trump. She found a way to publicly send a message to her husband without blatantly slandering him.
For all intents and purposes Melania Trump will never have the same impact on me as Michelle Obama did. However, Melania Trump did not sign up to be the wife of a politician, especially the president of the United States. Due to her seeming lack of interest in politics, the First Lady had made the impression of being irrelevant. Probably not purposefully she has put herself in a position in which she can make statements and changes where the media suspects nothing more that the surface value of the words that she says, or actions she takes.
I hope that I am right and I hope that her power continues to grow. To have a strong woman who is not afraid to go head-to-head with President Trump would be a blessing.
Unfortunately, we cannot know the depth of Melania Trump’s “Be Better” campaign, or if she will grow as a political figure. What I do know, is that media automatically underestimates the power and intentions of women, and that should be recognized.
