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Rise of the ‘transvestigators’ who think Michelle Obama is a man

Rise of the ‘transvestigators’ who think Michelle Obama is a man

The online right is lost inside an “emasculation fetish”, where children aren’t children, wives aren’t wives and, above all, men aren’t men.

Former first lady Michelle Obama speaking during the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Former first lady Michelle Obama is a regular target of conspiracy theorists who insist she is a man. AP

A new fetish has evolved. For a long time, it was easy to predict the archetypal sexist vitriol spewed by anonymous X accounts whenever a woman came close to the highest seats of political power. But lately, their fascination with female authority has deepened – and twisted.

Welcome to the world of the transvestigators: the West is falling, family values are under attack and Michelle Obama is secretly a man.

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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/rise-of-the-transvestigators-who-think-michelle-obama-is-a-man-20250715-p5mf4q