Obama Says Fathers Aren’t Enough, Boys Need Gay and Non-Binary Friends [WATCH]

Former President Barack Obama addressed speculation about his marriage and shared his views on male development and friendships during a recent appearance on “The Light Podcast,” hosted by his wife, Michelle Obama.

Obama used the episode to dismiss circulating rumors about their marriage, while also focusing on what he believes are necessary influences in the lives of young men.

In particular, he emphasized the importance of having gay and “non-binary” friends as a means to develop empathy and perspective.

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“That’s one of the things that I think a lot of times boys need,” Obama said.

“Not just exposure to one guy, one dad, no matter how good the dad is. He can’t be everything. That boy may need somebody to give the boy some perspective on the dad.”

During the episode, Obama shared a personal anecdote from his college years.

“One of the most valuable things I learned as a guy was I had a gay professor in college at a time when openly gay folks still weren’t out a lot, who became one of my favorite professors and was a great guy and would call me out when I started saying stuff that was ignorant,” he said.

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“You need that to show empathy and kindness,” Obama continued.

“And by the way, you need that person in your friend group so if you have a boy who is gay or non-binary, they have somebody that they go, ‘Okay, I’m not alone in this.’”

WATCH: Barack Obama says men need gay friends to tell them when they’re “ignorant.”

“You need that person in your friend group so if you have a boy who is gay or non-binary, they have somebody that they go, “OK, I’m not alone in this.” pic.twitter.com/9pR9TimJOi

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 17, 2025

The former president’s comments came amid ongoing public discourse about gender identity and parental roles, with Obama suggesting that exposure to diverse identities helps boys grow into more empathetic men.

Neither Barack nor Michelle Obama have sons. The couple has two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

In a previous episode of her podcast, Michelle Obama addressed the subject of raising sons, stating that she was relieved not to have had a boy.

“I’m so glad I didn’t have a boy,” Michelle Obama said on a past episode. “Because he would have been a Barack Obama,” she added.

Michelle Obama says she’s glad she didn’t have a son:

“He would have been a Barack Obama.” pic.twitter.com/HuziGTF90n

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) June 20, 2025