Michelle Obama

I have had to learn that my voice has value. And if I don’t use it, what’s the point of being in the room?

Studying in countries like China isn’t only about your prospects in the global marketplace. It’s not just about whether you can compete with your peers in other countries to make America stronger. It’s also about whether you can come together and work together with them to make our world stronger. It’s about the friendships you make, the bonds of trust you establish and the image of America that you project to the rest of the world.

And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values, like you work hard for what you want in life. That your word is your bond; that you do what you say you’re going to do. That you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them and even if you don’t agree with them.

Tweeting and social media – that is a powerful weapon that we just hand over to little kids. You know, a ten-year-old. Yo, tell it like it is. And it’s like, no you don’t. You need to think and spell it right and have good grammar.

The problem is when that fun stuff becomes the habit. And I think that’s what’s happened in our culture. Fast food has become the everyday meal.

I am sick of all the chaos and the nastiness of our politics. It’s exhausting, and frankly, it’s depressing.

I view myself as being the average woman.

I wanted to take part in this campaign because it’s so easy to forget the many women who live their lives in fear because of domestic violence. Men have an important role to play in sending out the message that real men do not hurt or abuse their partners.

It’s pretty clear that if men were having babies we’d have different policies.

The difference between a broken community and a thriving one is the presence of women who are valued.

I wouldn’t say I’m a feminist. I think that would be, maybe, going too far.

The abuse of women and girls is the most pervasive and unaddressed human rights violation on earth.

The first thing about empowerment is to understand that you have the right to be involved. The second one is that you have something important to contribute. And the third piece is that you have to take the risk to contribute it.

Today, be the basass girl you were too lazy to be yesterday.

To all my goddesses in the world spreading love and light, power and radiance. Never stop being brilliant!!

I just love bossy women. To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It mans somebody’s passionate and engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind leading.

First of all, as a card-carrying feminist, I am a BIG feminist, anytime I see women being stars – the stars that they should be, and being featured, and being highlighted, it makes my heart happy. Because it’s long overdue.

You’’re a feminist if you go to a Jay-Z and Beyoncé concert, and you’’re NOT like, ‘mmm, I feel like Beyoncé should be making 23 percent less money than Jay-Z.’

My first instinct is great pride for all of us as women who are finding our voices.

I love to challenge the status quo. That’s been my mission from day one as an actress and an early feminist wanting equality and wanting to push the limits of what’s possible.

I believe in gender equality. Being a feminist is for both women and men. I am a feminist.