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Barack and Michelle Obama addressed divorce rumors in a new podcast episode. The former U.S. President appeared on his wife’s “IMO” podcast on Wednesday. They both addressed the “rumor mills” and they playfully laughed off the divorce reports.

But one discussion between the Obamas sparked debates on social media. Barack Obama had an eye-opening perspective on the way boys should be raised.

Photo Barack Obama, Craig Robinson, Michelle Obama
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Barack said he had a gay professor in college during a time when “overly gay men weren’t allowed” to flourish publicly. He said the man was one of his favorite professors. Barack explained that men should have a gay man in their lives to learn how to be more considerate people.

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Barack and Michelle share two grown daughters, Sasha and Malia Obama.

“(Men) need (a gay friend) to show empathy and kindness,” Barack said, “and by the way, you need that person in your friend group, so if you then have a boy who is g*y or nonb*nary or what have you … they have someone that can go, ‘OK, I’m not alone in this.'”

Barack shared Michelle’s view that it would have been hard raising a boy in today’s society. “I’m so glad I didn’t have a boy,” Michelle said in a June 18 podcast. She noted that he would’ve grown up to be just like Barack.

“I think we did a pretty good job of raising our girls,” Barack explained, “but I’ve said often that I think I would’ve had more difficulty raising a son.”

Both Barack and Michelle agreed that having a father in a boy’s life is not enough. He said boys should be exposed to more than just one guy. “No matter how good the dad is, he can’t be everything,” Barack said.

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Barack added that he might have been “more judgmental, harder” with his son than he was with his daughters.

“We rightly have tried to invest in girls to make sure that there’s a level playing field, and they’re not barred from opportunities,” he said. “But we haven’t been as willing, I think, to be intentional about investing in the boys. And that’s been a mistake. And I think people are starting to recognize that.”