In a revelation that has taken the media by storm, a previously redacted portion of a letter penned by former U.S. President Barack Obama in 1982 has been brought to light. The letter, addressed to his then-girlfriend Alex McNear, offers a candid glimpse into the young Obama's contemplations on sexuality, gender, and identity.
The letter, which dates back to when Obama was just 21 years old, was recently uncovered by Obama biographer David Garrow during an interview about the 45th president. Garrow managed to obtain the full letter, currently held by Emory University, through a friend, Harvey Klehr. Klehr had transcribed the letter's undisclosed sections by hand and subsequently shared them with Garrow and other news outlets.
In the letter, Obama wrote, "In regard to homosexuality, I must say that I believe this is an attempt to remove oneself from the present, a refusal perhaps to perpetuate the endless farce of earthly life. You see, I make love to men daily, but in the imagination." He further elaborated on his perspective on gender, stating, "My mind is androgynous to a great extent and I hope to make it more so until I can think in terms of people, not women as opposed to men. But, in returning to the body, I see that I have been made a man, and physically in life, I choose to accept that contingency."
The letter's rediscovery has ignited a flurry of discussions and debates. Alex McNear, who was in a relationship with Obama during his time at Occidental College in Los Angeles, had initially redacted these intimate statements. Garrow, a Pulitzer-Prize-winning historian, had to seek out these undisclosed sections for his book Rising Star.
Since the time of the letter, Obama's journey has been nothing short of remarkable. From serving as an Illinois State Senator to becoming the President of the United States, his trajectory has been closely watched and analyzed. He married Michelle Obama in 1992, and the couple has two daughters, Malia and Sasha.
Garrow, after unearthing the provocative writings, expressed that he didn't find the revelations particularly unusual. He commented, "I'm a historian, not a psychologist, but I think it's 'public record' news that a (vast?) majority of human beings have sexual fantasies!" In a recent interview, Garrow also drew parallels between Obama and 2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump, suggesting that both might share certain insecurities, albeit manifesting differently.
The historian further opined that Obama "has no interest in building the Democratic Party as an institution," a sentiment that has been echoed by other political analysts in the past.
This revelation, while offering a deeper understanding of a young Obama's mindset, also underscores the complexities and nuances that define human sexuality and identity. It remains to be seen how this disclosure will be received by the public and what implications, if any, it might have on Obama's post-presidential legacy.