Dr. Jill Biden and Recommitting to Justice

This week you may have seen that the Wall Street Journal caused a lot of waves when it published an op-ed suggesting that Dr. Jill Biden should drop the "Dr" since she's not an MD. The article, which I am purposefully not linking to because why give them any additional clicks, was laden with misogyny, even referring to Dr. Biden as "kiddo". It was total trash. I took to Instagram Sunday morning to share my thoughts about what garbage it was. From what I've seen the article struck a nerve, most notably with white women. And listen, it clearly struck a nerve with me too!

But it has me wondering if we're paying enough attention to the harm happening to the women of color, particularly the Black women, around us.

This tweet really jumped out to me and had me thinking a lot.

Are we bringing the same energy to the ways we're harming and undermining the WOC around us, especially at work?

Do you know how the WOC you work with experienced injustice in your workplace? And how you're contributing to it?

I'm not just talking about being sure we're also calling Black women and other women of color with terminal degrees Doctor... I mean, are you also hypercritical of their work? Are you paying them minimally equal to their peers, but ideally compensating them for the labor they're actually doing, including the emotional labor?

Are you interrupting microaggressions and other forms of harm and injustice relentlessly? Even when it's your boss or your work bestie? What about when it's your partner or parent?

Are you constantly showing up doing your own work and holding yourself accountable?

We can be upset about that horrific misogynistic "kiddo" op-ed about Jill Biden, but if you're aspiring to be an ally, accomplice, or change agent then you need to be even angrier and committed to racism, anti-Blackness, and all other forms of oppression -- including the power structure that reinforces the use of these types of titles (Ms, Mrs, Dr, Mx, etc.) to determine place and value.

Let's be angry with Dr. Biden. But let's not lose sight of how this pales in comparison to the violent ways that these systems of power and dominance (patriarchy, white supremacy, etc.) harm BIPOC, trans, and non-binary folks, folks with disabilities, and so many others.