Image of the Obamas has been edited to promote false claims about Michelle’s gender

An edited image of Barack and Michelle Obama is being shared on Facebook alongside a false claim that it shows the former US president alongside “Michael before he transitioned”.

This is an example of a series of false claims about former First Lady Mrs Obama’s gender that have persisted online for a number of years. We’ve written before about other claims of this ilk.

The image shows a younger Mr Obama with his arm around someone wearing a white top with a short haircut who appears to have facial hair.

But this is an edited image. The original photo shows Mr Obama with Mrs Obama standing in front of a Christmas tree. According to an archived version of Barack Obama’s website, it was taken in Hawaii, where Mr Obama spent most of his childhood.

The background has been removed in the image being shared on Facebook, and Mrs Obama’s face has also been altered and her hair changed.

This edited image has been circulating online since at least 2022, when it was debunked by fact checkers at AFP (though in earlier versions the background of the photo was not edited).

Before sharing images like this on social media, first consider whether they come from a trustworthy and verifiable source. Our guides can help you spot misleading images online.

Although some claims seem really obviously false, we still fact check them because it may not be clear to everyone that it is untrue, particularly more casual internet users. We’ve written about this in more detail on our blog.