President Obama Pens Essay About Feminism: Men Should Be Fighting Sexism Too

President Barack Obama has penned an essay for Glamour on feminism.

Here’s what the President – who happens to be celebrating his 55th birthday today – had to say…

On being a feminist: “And yes, it’s important that their dad is a feminist, because now that’s what they expect of all men. It is absolutely men’s responsibility to fight sexism too.”

On raising daughters Sasha and Malia: “As a parent, helping your kids to rise above these constraints is a constant learning process. Michelle and I have raised our daughters to speak up when they see a double standard or feel unfairly judged based on their gender or race�”or when they notice that happening to someone else.”

On Michelle taking care of their kids: “I’ve seen how Michelle has balanced the demands of a busy career and raising a family. Like many working mothers, she worried about the expectations and judgments of how she should handle the trade-offs, knowing that few people would question my choices. And the reality was that when our girls were young, I was often away from home serving in the state legislature, while also juggling my teaching responsibilities as a law professor. I can look back now and see that, while I helped out, it was usually on my schedule and on my terms. The burden disproportionately and unfairly fell on Michelle.”

For more from President Obama, visit Glamour.com.