On Saturday, aWall Street Journal column from Joseph Esptein titled "Is There a Doctor in the White House? Not if You Need an M.D.," made the rounds, and ...ticked off a
lot of people. The piece is offensive as soon as it begins: "Madame First Lady—Mrs. Biden—Jill—kiddo: a bit of advice on what may seem like a small but I think is a not unimportant matter. Any chance you might drop the 'Dr.' before your name? '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.' A wise man once said that no one should call himself 'Dr.'unless he has delivered a child. Think about it, Dr. Jill, and forthwith drop the doc."
Kiddo? Really? It didn't take long for the internet, and Twitter, especially, to come up with a comeback to this sexism.
Her name is Dr. Jill Biden. Get used to it.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) December 13, 2020
Yesterday you joined me in celebrating Dr. Jill Biden.
Today, join me in demanding the @WSJ retract & publicly apologize for publishing a blatantly misogynistic piece. https://t.co/cF01PhFbzg
— Trish Zornio (@trish_zornio) December 13, 2020
Accurate. Dr. Jill Biden. Dr. Jill Biden! https://t.co/nWyW1VO93n
— Joy WE VOTED!! WEAR A MASK!! Reid ?) (@JoyAnnReid) December 13, 2020
One came from incoming second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, who absolutely dropped the mic with this tweet about the former second lady and incoming first lady: "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."
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. pic.twitter.com/mverJiOsxC
— Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) December 12, 2020
If you do a quick scan of Twitter right now, you'll see that women with doctoral degrees are changing their bios to include the honorific using the hashtag, #mytitleisdr.
To all women who are PhDs: In solidarity with Dr. Jill Biden and to stand in solidarity against that sexist trash op-ed about her in the WSJ, please consider adding “Dr” to your twitter name to show how many of us there are. We deserve respect. You earned your PhD. #mytitleisdr," archaeologist Sarah Parcak tweeted. Her fellow doctorates followed suit.
To all women who are PhDs: In solidarity with Dr. Jill Biden and to stand in solidarity against that sexist trash op-ed about her in the WSJ, please consider adding “Dr” to your twitter name to show how many of us there are. We deserve respect. You earned your PhD. #mytitleisdr
— Dr. Sarah Parcak (@indyfromspace) December 12, 2020
What year are we living in?!?!#mytitleisdrhttps://t.co/EqvA81P7bN
— Dr. Lindsay Graziano (@lkgraz) December 13, 2020
"kiddo"???
"A touch comic"???WOW I AM LIVID.
This is absolute trash. Absolute complete GARBAGE.Doctors of Education are doctors. PhDs are doctors. End of story. #mytitleisdrpic.twitter.com/eExXky4btG
— Dr. Stephanie Deppe | she/hers (@SpaceSciSteph) December 12, 2020
Great Idea! Done. We all had to work really hard to earn our degree and noone should tell us we cant use our title. #mytitleisDr
— Dr. Shreya GD (@ShreyaGD88) December 12, 2020
I'm a dentist. Technically a dual specialty pediatric dentist and orthodontist. Some people joke that I don't have my RD (Real Doctor) degree. I earned my DDS degree at 23 after busting my rear in a accelerated program. Respect to the PhDs and all the other Docs! #mytitleisdr
— Dr Shelby Smith (@shelby7smith) December 12, 2020
Done. #mytitleisdr just like @DrBiden ??♀️?♀️ https://t.co/HnHTVT8Ghe
— Dr. Diane Lim (@economistmom) December 13, 2020
You may call me doctor #Doctor#mytitleisdrhttps://t.co/ibhLDSqYcG
— Dr. Maryellen McClain Verdoes (@McclainVerdoes) December 13, 2020