Michelle Obama came to the defense of Jill Biden, whose use of the academic title of “Dr.” was the subject of a controversial op-ed recently published in The Wall Street Journal.
Obama, 56, who spent about a decade being disrespected despite acquiring two degrees from Ivy League schools, took to social media to respond to the article’s suggestion that President-elect Joe Biden’s wife quit using the educational honorific title of “Dr.” while serving as the nation’s first lady. According to her White House bio, Biden earned a doctorate in education from the University of Delaware in 2007 and also has two master’s degrees.
The former first lady spoke passionately to her 45 million Instagram followers about Biden’s qualifications and spirit.
“For eight years, I saw Dr. Jill Biden do what a lot of professional women do — successfully manage more than one responsibility at a time, from her teaching duties to her official obligations in the White House to her roles as a mother, wife, and friend,” Obama wrote.
“And right now, we’re all seeing what also happens to so many professional women, whether their titles are Dr., Ms., Mrs., or even First Lady: All too often, our accomplishments are met with skepticism, even derision. We’re doubted by those who choose the weakness of ridicule over the strength of respect. And yet somehow, their words can stick — after decades of work, we’re forced to prove ourselves all over again.”
Obama said this type of boorish and misogynistic behavior must be checked forcefully.
“Is this really the example we want to set for the next generation?” Obama asked.
