Michelle Obama, Cultural Faux Pas?
When First Lady Michelle Obama extended her arm across Queen Elizabeth’s back, the media in the UK screamed. Personal space and privacy are important measures that govern behavior in the UK. When in the presence of royalty in the UK, behavior is governed by a separate, distinct set of rules that don’t apply elsewhere. Michelle’s action would not have been newsworthy if it had happened in the US with a woman of a different stature. The most interesting aspect of this is that Queen Elizabeth bent a rule that she’s accustomed to enforcing. Why? The Queen reacted quite personally, given that culture wouldn’t allow her to respond the way she did: reciprocating the gesture and patting the First Lady on the back. Any thoughts?
Click here to read one British journalist’s account of the incident on MSNBC’s World Blog.
