TRUTH, DIGNITY, AND THE SIN THAT HIDES IN WICKED AND FOOLISH RUMORS (The “Mrs. Obama is a Man” Lie)
Every now and then a rumor spreads so wildly, so senselessly, that it forces us to ask—are we thinking at all? The claim that Michelle Obama is secretly a man is one of those rumors. It is foolish. It is baseless. It is cruel. And yes, it is sin.
Michelle Obama is a woman; she did not fall out of the sky; she is not from outer space. She was born in a hospital; she grew up surrounded by family, friends, classmates, teachers, neighbors—ordinary people who knew her, loved her, and watched her grow.
To imagine that thousands of people would be involved in a lifelong conspiracy to hide her identity is absurd. To believe that every doctor, nurse, relative, and childhood friend somehow kept quiet is not only illogical—it is willful blindness.
And let us consider this plainly: if there were any truth to this, her enemies would have proven it long ago. These are the same political forces that demanded President Obama show his birth certificate—something no other president has ever been forced to do. If people could push a baseless conspiracy about where he was born, do you not think they would have dug even deeper into Michelle Obama’s life? Of course they would.
Unless she were an alien who descended from another galaxy, there would be childhood medical records, school documents, eyewitnesses, neighbors, teachers, and family members. People could simply go talk to those who knew her as a girl; they could interview classmates; they could check the public paper trail that every human life leaves behind. And yet none of her enemies—none of the investigative journalists, none of the political opponents, none of the obsessed conspiracy hunters—has ever found a shred of evidence. Not one.
Why? Because the rumor is not rooted in evidence. It is rooted in something darker. Something older. And something Christians must have the courage to name.
At its core, this conspiracy is fueled by racism.
Some may recoil at that word, but truth does not bend to our discomfort. A lie that only erupts when a Black woman becomes visible, powerful, admired, or accomplished—while no similar rumor haunts white First Ladies—reveals its nature.
A lie that denies her womanhood, her motherhood, her humanity, her dignity—because some cannot stand the idea of a Black woman standing with grace, intelligence, strength, and influence—reveals its root. This rumor dehumanizes, mocks, and tears down, and Scripture condemns that spirit directly.
We are commanded not to bear false witness, lie about people, not to traffic in foolish myths (1 Timothy 1:4), not to speak evil of others without cause (Titus 3:2), and not to judge according to appearance but with righteous judgment (John 7:24). When believers repeat this nonsense, they are not being discerning—they are being deceived.
And so we must speak clearly: Michelle Obama is a woman. She carried her daughters, gave birth to them, raised them, and loves them. I believe she is a good woman, a strong woman, and I know she is a woman created in the image of God. To participate in a rumor that denies her humanity is not only intellectually irresponsible—it is spiritually heinous.
Real Christians are people of truth; people who defend the innocent; people who see every human being as image-bearers of the Lord. We must reject slander, challenge lies, and refuse to pass along gossip. The world may feed on conspiracy, but we feed on the living Word, which calls us to what is true, noble, just, pure, and lovely (Philippians 4:8).
Let us hold fast to truth. Let us refuse every lie. Let us honor the Lord by defending the dignity of those unjustly maligned. For every careless word will be judged (Matthew 12:36)—and every truthful word spoken in love honors the One who is Truth.
BDD
