×
Article Urging Jill Biden to Drop the Honorific "Dr" From Her Name Sparks Outrage | People on the Internet Show Support
ADVERTISEMENT

Article Urging Jill Biden to Drop the Honorific "Dr" From Her Name Sparks Outrage | People on the Internet Show Support

American essayist Joseph Epstein addressed Jill Biden as "Madame First Lady—Mrs. Biden—Jill—kiddo" before proceeding to tell her why she should drop the title.

Source: Getty Images | Photo by Jeff Fusco

A Wall Street Journal (WSJ) op-ed recently created some uproar after the writer asked Dr. Jill Biden to lose the title from her name. Written by American essayist Joseph Epstein, the article addresses the 69-year-old teacher as "Madame First Lady—Mrs. Biden—Jill—kiddo."

ADVERTISEMENT

Epstein then goes on to say that he has "a bit of advice" about her title. The article, titled Is There a Doctor in the White House? Not if You Need an M.D., goes on to say: "Any chance you might drop the 'Dr.' before your name?" Epstein added, "Dr. Jill Biden sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic. Your degree is, I believe, an Ed.D., a doctor of education, earned at the University of Delaware through a dissertation with the unpromising title 'Student Retention at the Community College Level: Meeting Students’ Needs.'"

ADVERTISEMENT

Source: Getty Images | Photo by Justin Merriman

"A wise man once said that no one should call himself 'Dr.' unless he has delivered a child," Epstein opines. "Think about it, Dr. Jill, and forthwith drop the doc." He goes on to say, "I was sometimes addressed, usually on the phone, as 'Dr. Epstein.' On such occasions, it was all I could do not to reply, 'Read two chapters of Henry James and get into bed. I’ll be right over.'"

ADVERTISEMENT

After the article was published, there was a severe backlash against the writer and the publication. Many people supported Dr. Biden online and defended her use of the title. "Dr. Biden earned her degrees through hard work and pure grit. She is an inspiration to me, to her students, and to Americans across this country. This story would never have been written about a man," wrote vice president-elect Kamala Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff, as per People.

ADVERTISEMENT

Rev. Dr. Bernice King, the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., tweeted, "Dear @DrBiden: My father was a non-medical doctor. And his work benefited humanity greatly. Yours does, too."

Source: Getty Images | Photo by Pool

 

King added, "Both non-medical doctors whose work benefits humanity does not = a comparison of experiences, contributions, leadership, and influence. Please don’t contrive reasons to be frustrated. There are enough legitimate reasons."

ADVERTISEMENT

The backlash also forced Northwestern University to distance itself from Epstein who is a former lecturer of the university, as per the Independent. The university has removed Epstein’s page from its website, even though he was previously listed as an emeritus lecturer of English. In a statement, the university said that it is "firmly committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and strongly disagrees with Epstein's misogynistic views."

ADVERTISEMENT



 

Epstein, former editor of The American Scholar, added in his piece that those who display their Ph.D. credentials are "pathetic." "In contemporary universities, in the social sciences and humanities, calling oneself Dr. is thought bush league," he added.

ADVERTISEMENT

Source: Getty Images | Photo by Jeff Fusco

Multiple people from Joe Biden's campaign criticized the WSJ article. Michael LaRosa, Biden's transition team spokesperson, called out James Taranto, the editorial features editor for the WSJ's op-eds. "@jamestaranto, you and the @WSJ should be embarrassed to print the disgusting and sexist attack on @DrBiden running on the @WSJopinion page," LaRosa wrote. "If you had any respect for women at all you would remove this repugnant display of chauvinism from your paper and apologize to her."

"Sexist and shameful. Be better @wsj," wrote Elizabeth Alexander, Dr. Biden's communications director.



 

However, the article only opened up a debate about whether she should drop the honorifics from her name. "But Jill Biden is not a real doctor," said one person on Twitter. Some people took it upon themselves to explain why someone with a Ph.D. is called a doctor. "You can be a Doctor of any subject - Divinity, Law, Economics, Medicine. A Doctor is someone who holds the highest university degree. Someone holding the title of Chair (e.g. at a University, or even a local football club) is not literally ‘a chair’ so let’s stop the pettiness!" said the Twitter user.



 

Meanwhile, Biden only responded saying, "Together, we will build a world where the accomplishments of our daughters will be celebrated, rather than diminished."

 



 

 



 

References:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-there-a-doctor-in-the-white-house-not-if-you-need-an-m-d-11607727380

https://people.com/politics/jill-biden-receives-support-wall-street-journal-sexist-op-ed/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/joseph-epstein-jill-biden-wall-street-journal-b1773622.html

https://twitter.com/idiot_salad/status/1338185497529610241

https://twitter.com/AnneHounam/status/1338795779348176896