The Wall Street Journal is facing backlash to its Dec. 11 op-ed that chided incoming first lady Dr. Jill Biden and suggested she drop the “Dr.” from her title during her time in the White House.
Written by Joseph Epstein — a former professor at Northwestern University — the column states that “‘Dr. Jill Biden’ sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic,” contending that because Biden has her doctorate in education, not medicine, she should drop the title. The piece also calls Biden a “kiddo,” suggests that someone should only be called “Dr.” if they have delivered a child and undermines the value of her education.
But, many people on Twitter felt differently – and didn’t hold back in expressing their opinions.
Representatives for Wall Street Journal did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment on the growing criticism.
Though neither Biden nor her husband, President-elect Joe Biden, have publicly addressed the situation, Jill Biden’s spokesman, Michael LaRosa, blasted the essay’s sentiments and the Journal’s decision to run it.
Addressing WSJ’s editorial features editor, LaRosa wrote on Twitter: “@jamestaranto, you and the @WSJ should be embarrassed to print the disgusting and sexist attack on @DrBiden running on the @WSJopinion page. If you had any respect for women at all you would remove this repugnant display of chauvinism from your paper and apologize to her.”
.@jamestaranto, you and the @WSJ should be embarrassed to print the disgusting and sexist attack on @DrBiden running on the @WSJopinion page. If you had any respect for women at all you would remove this repugnant display of chauvinism from your paper and apologize to her.
— Michael LaRosa (@MichaelLaRosaDC) December 12, 2020
Hillary Clinton tweeted a simple yet effective statement: “Her name is Dr. Jill Biden. Get used to it.”
Her name is Dr. Jill Biden. Get used to it.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) December 13, 2020
“Will & Grace” actor Debra Messing told the Wall Street Journal that their “hatred for [sic] women is showing,” and called the whole ordeal “a disgusting display of misogyny.”
@WSJ Your hatred fro women is showing.
What a disgusting display of misogyny.
APOL Your hatred for women is showing. https://t.co/M7NnL9FdVx
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) December 12, 2020
“Westworld” star Jeffrey Wright also shared his opinion on the piece, tweeting: “Joseph Epstein tries to disparage others as ‘falsely intelligent’ in this masturbatory, sewer-gas piece and then put his name to it. How cool is that?”
Joseph Epstein tries to disparage others as ‘falsely intelligent’ in this masturbatory, sewer-gas piece and then put his name to it. How cool is that? https://t.co/EwTT2y4SCA
— Jeffrey We Voted Out That Gameshow Clown Wright (@jfreewright) December 12, 2020
Jamaal Bowman, the Democratic Representative-elect for New York’s 16th congressional district and former middle school principal, wrote that “the erasure of Dr. Jill Biden’s expertise is shrouded in both sexism and disrespect for the teaching profession.” “Educators are experts,” he continued. “While we’re at it, it’s [sic] also Dr. Jamaal Bowman.”
The erasure of Dr. Jill Biden’s expertise is shrouded in both sexism and disrespect for the teaching profession.
Educators are experts.
While we’re at it, it also Dr. Jamaal Bowman.
— Jamaal Bowman (@JamaalBowmanNY) December 13, 2020
Lincoln Project committee member David Weissman said, “Imagine having a platform at the @wsj with an opportunity to use it for good but instead, you use it to insult our incoming First Lady just because you have a problem with powerful and educated women. By the way #JosephEpstein, she is Dr. Jill Biden to you.”
Imagine having a platform at the @wsj with an opportunity to use it for good but instead, you use it to insult our incoming First Lady just because you have a problem with powerful and educated women. By the way #JosephEpstein, she is Dr. Jill Biden to you.
— David Weissman (@davidmweissman) December 13, 2020
Read more reactions below.
“R-E-S-P-E-C-T”
– Aretha Franklin https://t.co/Rqi8aTxrgb— Taye Diggs (@TayeDiggs) December 13, 2020
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
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. https://t.co/DNQ5VR4lH5
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) December 13, 2020
The author could’ve used fewer words to just say “ya know in my day we didn’t have to respect women.” https://t.co/jr9hICPzV4
— Chasten Buttigieg (@Chasten) December 12, 2020
Cynthia Littleton contributed to this report.