Michelle Obama argumentiert gegen Ausgrenzungen durch Feministinnen

Das US-amerikanische Oberlin College erzeugte in den letzten Wochen einige mediale Aufmerksamkeit dadurch, dass feministische Studentinnen dort auf einen Gastvortrag der männerfreundlichen, liberalen Feministin Christina Hoff Sommers nur reagieren konnten, indem sie sich in "safe zones" zurückzogen. Dies machte nun Michelle Obama in diplomatischen Formulierungen bei einer Rede zur Abschlussfeier am Oberlin College zum Thema:

Generation after generation, this country has become more equal, more inclusive, more fair, more free. My life and so many of your lives are a testament of that truth. But that has only happened because folks like all of you left their comfort zones and made their voices heard. (...) And even here at Oberlin, most of the time you’re probably surrounded by folks who share your beliefs. But out in the real world, there are plenty of people who think very differently than you do, and they hold their opinions just as passionately. So if you want to change their minds, if you want to work with them to move this country forward, you can’t just shut them out. You have to persuade them, and you have to compromise with them. That is what so many of our heroes of history have done.

Auch hierzulande gibt es mehrere Einrichtungen, denen diese Worte gut täten – etwa die Heinrich-Böll- sowie die Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung und das Bundesforum Männer.