On the sidelines: What will be the first lady Melania Trump
New First Lady of the United States has become a lightning rod for those who still can not survive the election of her husband to the presidency. Everyone discusses the appearance of Melania Trump, her few public appearances and scant biography facts. Criticism addressed to her is at least categorical. And by itself it raises the question: is it possible to demand something from the president’s wife, who is not even chosen, is she responsible for her husband’s policy and what should she be if she automatically receives state status and a not-too-regulated position?
Melania Trump vs Jackie Kennedy
Sky blue outfit Ralph Lauren, in which Melania Trump appeared at the inauguration, was intended to give ground for the assumption that we face a new Jackie, in any case, her diligent student. The costume of Oleg Cassini on Jacqueline in 1961 so firmly entered American mythology that even the color “sugar paper”, reminiscent of the packaging of chocolates, was instantly recognized by all who followed the inauguration ceremony.
Melania herself in one of her first interviews in the status of a potential hostess of the White House has already stated that she will be "a very traditional first lady. Like Betty Ford and Jackie Onassis." Perhaps by this she wanted to emphasize that she would be content with the ceremonial role of the companion of a powerful husband. However, in appealing to the image of the first lady replicated by mass culture created by Jacqueline Bouvier, Melania should remember that he encodes much more than just the style from the pages of Vogue.
None of the documents set forth the duties of the first lady, but by all indications this is the real work.
Jacqueline Kennedy had the political will that enabled her to remain an important figure for the American establishment even after the tragic death of her husband. It was from her light hand that the myth of the “epoch of Camelot” was born, with which the Kennedy presidency began to be associated. If John was rightly considered one of the most progressive presidents in American history, his wife’s figure was also quite atypical for that time. Jackie, who came to the White House after the housewife Mamie Eisenhower, seemed almost revolutionary: active, active and independent. The White House of its time was the focus of Bohemia. The inscription "United States of America" on board No. 1 appeared at the insistence of Jacqueline: the first lady believed that symbols matter. She flew alone a lot, and one day, after visiting Paris with President Kennedy, received a curtsy from her husband: "I, as a companion of Jacqueline Kennedy, really enjoyed this trip." Jacqueline became the first wife of the president, who had her own press secretary.
Melania, who takes the baton from Michelle Obama, is copying her famous predecessor only in the choice of clothes, while deliberately following the conservative canons of marriage. She regularly emphasizes that she is not going to influence her husband’s decisions in any way, willingly yielding to the role of a “meaningful woman” near the president of his eldest daughter Ivanka.
Appearance and behavior in public Melania Trump is also not entirely successful, her first appearances on the political stage were far from flawless. A speech at a party congress that copied Michelle Obama’s speech was an occasion for accusations of plagiarism; and the Gucci blouse with a "pussy bow" bow, which she put on for election debates, once again reminded of the scandal surrounding the sexist statements of her husband. Probably, her spectacular appearance at the inauguration was the result of the work of a staff of consultants and is a very specific political statement. But such a superficial quotation of the portrait of the Kennedy family - the Trump's ideological opposite - inevitably raises the question of how all further Melania’s activities will be produced.
First lady is a position
The entire set of requirements and expectations for an inhabitant of the Eastern Wing is primarily due to the fact that over the years this status has begun to acquire tangible influence. Yes, none of the documents contained a set of relevant responsibilities, but by all indications this is the real work. The first lady of the United States has a staff of assistants; they are expected to receive socially beneficial activities, charitable initiatives, support for projects in the field of art and education. In the end, impressive press attention gives a certain influence. Examination and evaluation of all, up to the same outfits. And, putting on Jason Wu's dress for the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama, his wife Michelle consciously helped the entire industry of American fashion and one particular designer in particular.
Trying to distance itself from the political sphere in every possible way, Melania Trump overlooks one important aspect of her current situation. From the moment her husband became the forty-fifth president of the United States, her every act, step and choice becomes political, whether she likes it or not.
Tolerance test
Melania Trump is not exactly a traditional first lady exactly to the same extent that Melania Trump's husband is not exactly a traditional US president. Despite the carefully constructed projection of classical, root American values and conservatism so attractive to his voters, Donald Trump's career was built in an unprecedented way - at least because before his own election the current president did not hold any public office. Accordingly, Melania, who still very comfortably felt herself as a social person, clearly did not aspire to the status of the first lady.
Arguments about its conformity (or inconsistency) to a sudden fallen status are at least arrogant, as if certain qualities and career achievements are required for it. The notorious American dream (one of the plots of which tells about the heroic way of a simple congressman to the presidential chair) implies the figure of a no less ambitious wife with an ideal biography, which supposedly has no place for nude photo shoots.
Discussion Melania - generally a difficult test for tolerance. To condemn and regret Melania, it seems so simple that it has become ubiquitous and almost acceptable entertainment for both the press and idle users of social networks. It is clear that the status of the first lady automatically imposes certain obligations on her owner, and one of them is to endure the close attention of the public. In the end, no matter how quickly we get rid of formalities and prejudices, the presence of a wife and her appearance for the President of the United States today is the same indispensable condition for his election, like, for example, his religiosity.
Society has begun to forget that it is worthwhile to respect your personal choice - even if it implies a position on the sidelines
And yet, most of the claims that make Melania, indicate the incorrectness and inconsistency of the authors. Yes, Melania is a former model, and not, say, a social activist who advocates for women's rights. However, not the first: Pat Nixon and Betty Ford also posed for a fashionable gloss before settling in the White House. And before indignantly pointing out the presence of nude photos in her portfolio, it is worth remembering that a couple of years ago the whole world was discussing pictures of the first lady of France, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.
Generally, to condemn Melania for the love of tight-fitting outfits or the habit of idleness is hypocritical. Independent upbringing of a son is far from being synonymous with idleness, but hard work. Secondly, feminist ideals, which postulate the right of a woman to do anything, also imply the possibility of consciously choosing a patriarchal model of family and lifestyle. And even more so this freedom extends to questions of appearance. A woman can dress and look exactly the way she wants, and does not have to like men. But if she likes to be attractive to the opposite sex - can we deny her the right to wear heels and correctly, immediately rewarding with insulting labels?
Endless jokes about Melania’s dependency situation and related offers of help (from the posters "Blink if you need help" on the "Women's March" in Washington to collages, as if Melania is asking to save her) are also speculating on the fact that a woman must be loud to declare their position and generally be clearly present in any society. Women have struggled for so long to get out of the shadow of a husband that society has forgotten that it is necessary to respect personal choice - even if it implies a position on the sidelines.
The ability to be in the shadows, of course, the first political signal of Melania Trump, recognizing the right to that, do not forget that the silent visa of the first lady is still on all the political statements of her husband. And this is bad news for women, and not only.
Photo: Getty Images (2), Wikimedia Commons
