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Michelle Obama named 'most admired woman in the world'—again—because of course she is
The world can't get enough Michelle.
01.17.20
Update: In addition to the YouGov poll, Gallup's annual poll has also found Michelle Obama to be the world's most admired woman for 2019. In fact, she was the only woman in the poll to rank in the double digits. Now it's doubly official—people can't get enough Michelle. This story originally appeared on 7/19/19. The original version begins below.
The world officially loves Michelle Obama.
The former first lady has overtaken the number one spot in a poll of the world's most admired women. Conducted by online research firm YouGov, the study uses international polling tools to survey people in countries around the world about who they most admire.
<p>In the men's category, Bill Gates took the top spot, followed by Barack Obama and Jackie Chan.</p><p>In the women's category, Michelle Obama came first, followed by Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie. Obama pushed Jolie out of the number one spot she claimed last year.</p><p>Unsurprising, really, because what's not to love about Michelle Obama? She is smart, kind, funny, accomplished, a great dancer, a devoted wife and mother, and an all-around, genuinely good person. </p><p>She has remained dignified and strong in the face of rabid masses of so-called Americans who spent eight years and beyond insisting that she's a man disguised as a woman. She's endured non-stop racist memes and terrifying threats to her family. She has received far more than her fair share of cruelty, and always takes the high road. She's the one who coined, "When they go low, we go high," after all.</p><p>She came from humble beginnings and remains down to earth despite becoming a familiar face around the world. She's not much older than me, but I still want to be like Michelle Obama when I grow up.</p><p>Her memoir, Becoming, may end up being the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/michelle-obama-s-book-set-become-best-selling-memoir-history-n987801" target="_blank">best-selling memoir of all time</a>, having already sold 10 million copies—a clear sign that people can't get enough Michelle, because there's no such thing as too much Michelle. </p><p>Don't like Michelle Obama? Don't care. Those of us who love her will fly our MO flags high and without apology, paying no mind to folks with cold, dead hearts who don't know a gem of a human being when they see one. There is nothing any hater can say or do to make us admire this undeniably admirable woman any less.</p><p>When it seems like the world has lost its mind—which is how it feels most days these days—I'm just going to keep coming back to these polls as evidence that hope for humanity is not lost. </p><p>Here. Enjoy some real-life Michelle on Jimmy Kimmel. (GAH. WHY IS SHE SO CUTE AND AWESOME. I can't even handle it.)</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2116727948a56433877281e536383ee3"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PeVRgs0zINM?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Michelle & Barack Obama are Boring Now</small>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="add photo credit...">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeVRgs0zINM" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a>
</small>
</p>
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