Social Media Clowns Push Trans Hoax About Malia Obama—and We’re Not Having It

Social media trolls have dragged Malia Obama into a new wave of disrespect. Sleuths are recycling a tired and baseless lie that claims she is transgender. The Obamas have dealt with wild conspiracy theories for years. Now, the internet is coming for Malia with the same messy energy.

Malia Obama is the eldest daughter of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. She has spent her life in the public eye — from growing up in the White House to studying at Harvard. She has handled that spotlight with grace at every stage. But recently, far-right influencers and conspiracy accounts have spread a false claim that she is transgender, with no credible evidence to support it.

Malia Obama has been named in a completely untrue rumor.

Malia Obama faced a wave of online hate in May after a false transgender rumor spread across social media. A right-wing troll on X (formerly Twitter), pretending to be Donald Trump’s son, claimed that the 26-year-old had announced a gender transition and changed her name to “Maleek.” The post also alleged she planned to marry a childhood friend. There was no evidence to support any of these claims. Still, the fake post went viral, gaining over 232,000 views and more than 2,500 retweets.

Malia hasn’t spoken publicly about her gender or sexuality. There’s absolutely nothing to suggest the rumor is true. This trans hoax didn’t appear out of nowhere. It follows the same tired formula trolls used against her mom. After years of pushing the lie that Michelle is secretly trans, they’ve simply moved on to a new target. Now they’re coming for Malia, using a bogus narrative to attack a young Black woman and fuel dangerous anti-trans rhetoric.

Sadly, this is not new for the Obama daughters. Malia and her younger sister, Sasha Obama, have been frequent targets of viral lies — from fake drug arrest stories to made-up pregnancy drama. A 2022 hoax that claimed Malia was pregnant by rapper Future, per Politico.

Michelle Obama has faced similar allegations.

Before trolls came for Malia, they spent years targeting the former first lady. Transphobic conspiracy theories falsely claimed the former First Lady was born male. That baseless lie — often phrased as “Michelle is really Michael” — has circulated online for over a decade. It gained traction in 2014 when comedian Joan Rivers was caught on camera saying, “Michelle is a trans.” She also quipped that Barack was gay.

The so-called “Big Mike” myth doesn’t just miss the mark — it’s straight-up offensive. Critics zero in on Michelle’s body and fashion choices, using outdated and harmful stereotypes that say Black women with height or muscle can’t be feminine. Fact-checkers have shut it all down, calling out the doctored photos and viral clips that try to twist her words or appearance.

Then there’s the most infamous hoax of them all: the “birther” conspiracy. This lie claimed Barack Obama wasn’t born in the U.S. and wasn’t a legitimate president. It started during his 2008 campaign and gained steam in 2011, when Donald Trump began spreading it and refusing to let it go.

That said, until Malia Obama says from her own lips that she is a transgender individual, it’s best to ignore the chatter. However, internet trolls can rest assured that the more they target the beloved Obama family, the more the community will waste no time dragging them for filth. Transphobis is disgusting, and it has no place in the world.

Why do you think the Obama family continues to be targeted by hateful conspiracy theories?

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