Former first lady Michelle Obama was once again the subject of attacks and conspiracy theories after mixed martial arts fighter Josh Hokit made a comment that unleashed a wave of criticism for its racist, misogynistic and transphobic content.

The episode occurred during a UFC evening held on the grounds of the White House, an event promoted by President Donald Trump as part of activities to commemorate his 80th birthday.

After obtaining a victory, Hokit took the microphone during an interview with commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan and launched a phrase that quickly went viral on social networks.

"Michelle Obama is a man. Right, United States?" said the fighter in front of thousands of attendees.

The statement provoked immediate reactions and revived a baseless rumor that has circulated for years in far-right sectors against the wife of former President Barack Obama.

An attack based on old stereotypes

Claims about Michelle Obama's supposed gender identity have been repeatedly debunked, but continue to appear in spaces linked to conspiracy theories and ultra-conservative movements.

Various experts have pointed out that these types of attacks combine elements of racism, misogyny and transphobia, especially when they are directed against black women in positions of power or public visibility.

The term misogynoir, coined by scholar Moya Bailey, precisely describes the intersection between racism and misogyny that African American women face.

The controversy also recalled previous comments made by Hokit. As reported by ESPN, the fighter used similar expressions last January when referring to WNBA star Brittney Griner, whom he also called “man” during a post-fight interview.

Michelle Obama had already responded to these attacks

In her book “Becoming,” published in 2018, Michelle Obama addressed the disinformation campaigns and personal attacks she faced during the years her family occupied the White House.

“I have heard of those dark corners of the internet that question everything about me, even if I am a woman or a man,” the former first lady wrote.

Obama acknowledged that many of those criticisms were painful, but said he tried not to let them define his public image.

Dana White distances himself from the controversy

Less than 24 hours after the controversy, the president and CEO of the UFC, Dana White, publicly rejected Josh Hokit's statements about Michelle Obama and described the comment as “disgusting and false” and distanced himself from what happened during the event held at the White House.

In a message sent to Time magazine, White assured that, although he is a firm defender of freedom of expression, he considers it inappropriate to make personal attacks against family members of public figures. "I understand that the Obamas are public figures, but I am totally against saying unpleasant and false things about people's families. Everyone knows my position on freedom of expression, but I hate that kind of absurdity," he said.

For its part, the White House avoided commenting on the controversy generated by the fighter's comments. According to CNN, there was also no immediate response about what happened during the UFC evening. Likewise, a spokesperson for the organization referred the media to White's statements and did not confirm whether Hokit will face any disciplinary sanction for his words.