Michelle Obama, as a lawyer, has a doctorate. JD stands for Juris Doctor, or Doctorate of Jurisprudence. So you could call her Dr. Obama if you wanted to. I personally don't think anybody should use "Dr" as their title unless they're a medical doctor. It sounds a little haughty. But I wouldn't say that to my college professors...

It really doesn't bother me at all if she wants to be called Dr. She did the work for the degree so she is entitled to use the prefix if she wants. I'm actually surprised it inspired this much thought.
When I was in college, all of my teachers were Dr This or Prof. That and none of them practiced medicine so I guess it just doesn't seem that unusual.

Little short on the research there Citizen 3.0.

Were Henry Kissinger and Condoleezza Rice medical doctors or smug feminists? Martin Luther King?

I think if you put the work in for a PhD you should be called either one (Dr. or PhD suffix).

I don't see why she shouldn't be. If I did the work, I'd want to be Dr. Starangel or Starangel, PhD.

" I always called my college professors Dr. — Even the art ones! "

Even the art ones? It seems to me that someone who has a phd in art is just as much a doctor as someone who has their phd in engineering or journalism or any other field.
And yes, Michelin, that was the first thing I thought of, too, that Michelle Obama has a JD and could also go by Dr. Obama if she wanted to, though it seems like few lawyers do unless they also teach.

I hope that if somebody in a crowded restaurant called out "He's choking! Is there a doctor in the house?" Jill Biden wouldn't stand up and said "Why yes, I'm a doctor!"

Haha, I meant "stand up and say". Today is not my day.

Why is this even important to have a post about? I know there's way more news out there than this

If you have a PhD then by golly you deserve to be called Dr, it takes a lot of work to get a PhD.

If that's what she wants to be called cares. My principle asked that everyone ask we call her Dr. Shaulis. No biggie.

No offense, but to me, I'd only call a medical doctor a doctor.

*who cares*

Not wanting to start any omgbiasness but that is a spectacularly awful photo of Jill Biden.
Sigh. Anyways.
Doctor just means someone who knows a lot about something, literally "teacher." So I definitely defend the right of anyone to go by Dr. Whatever if they have earned that degree.
It makes me think of a time when my friend was dating a chiropractor and, perhaps not realizing he was in über-academic company, he opined about how silly it was to call someone doctor when they weren't "a real doctor. At which point I think everyone in the room silently thought, "Not a real doctor, Mr. Chiropractor? Kettle? Black?" and someone finally stammered something about latin and then quickly changed the subject.

>No offense, but to me, I'd only call a medical doctor a doctor.

Why? That'd be like me saying I will only call women who got married in a church Mrs.

I don't see why people wouldn't call her "Dr." A medical doctor has gotten a doctorate in medicine and my principle got a doctorate in education. Being called a Dr. means you achieved the highest rank of academic degree awardable. To ignore it just because they don't operate on people is kinda rude. IMO.

>To ignore it just because they don't operate on people is kinda rude. IMO.

Agreed. Ally, if a PhD asked you to call her Doctor, would you say no? Or just make a point to avoid addressing her by name? I don't get it.

I call people whatever they want me to call them (except for Daddy, sweetness, etc).

She just recently got her Ph.D. so she's probably excited about it.
Sometimes after many years people don't care about being called Dr. as much.

I know if I went back and got my PhD I'd want that acknowledgment.

And I completely get your chiropractor joke TS, I knew one that said the same thing. Maybe that's a sore spot for chiropractors?

It may be pretentious, but it's a fairly standard practice for PhDs to be called doctors. All my professors in college went by Dr. However, I don't think any of my law school professors were called doctor (if there were any, it's because they had a PhD, too). Sure, she could be super casual and skip the title, but I don't think there's anything wrong with going by Dr. Biden.

It reeks of haughtiness to wish to be called doctor. When I was in high school, a teacher (who had her PhD) was disciplined when he didn't address the superintendant as "Dr" the day after he had earned his PhD. Of course, this is the same guy who was later arrested for embezzlement.

>It reeks of haughtiness to wish to be called doctor.

So, if my sibling has a child, does it reek of haughtiness for me to be called Aunt? Does Obama reek of haughtiness because people address him as Mr. President? Should Elizabeth II just stop being so darn haughty by insisting people call her queen? It's not some people are just randomly asking to be called "Your highness." A PhD is an official degree and it confers upon its holders the right to be known as Doctor.

TS, I think the issue is not so much with the title itself, but with the attitude some people have about it. I've met a few people who won't hesitate to correct you if you call them anything but 'Dr.'. They seemed as if they had something to prove, or were demanding some higher respect that they felt they deserved. Certainly the vast majority of doctors don't have that attitude, though.

Perhaps they are defensive because so many people think it's silly to call them by their appropriate and earned title.

That is true, and in a professional setting mmaybe use it. But to through a title around where it isn't necessary (Professor would do), and if the norm is that teachers and other faculty aren't using it, follow their lead.

Well, obviously it would be obnoxious if I were at a neighborhood barbecue, and someone was like, "Whatup, True!" and I responded, "Actually, it's Dr. Song."
But is that really what we're talking about? In any case where you would refer to someone as "Professor" or "Mr." or "Miss" I think it's fine to go by "Doctor."

I think it is perfectly fine for her to want to be called Doctor. If someone earns a Ph.D., M.D., etc. then they should be called Doctor! To me it's a matter of respect. I wouldn't call President Obama - 'Barack'; I wouldn't call my pastor by his first name; I wouldn't call my MD by his first name. (Of course unless asked to by said person).
I call all of my professors Dr. X if they have the title if not I call them Professor X

What I don't get is why lawyers aren't called Doctor. They earned a doctorate too.

TS, it's silly to be asked to be called 'Doctor' in a social setting. And a bit pretentious. But in a professional setting (like UnDave said) it's probably alright, depending on the situation of course.

I think part of my issue is that I think there needs to be some differentiation between a medical doctor and doctor of academia. Honestly I don't have a great reason for that, though. Just my personal bias.

Sorry TS, I typed that before I read your "Dr. Song" comment.

My guess would be that those standing on the other side of 8 years or more of study would think it so silly. But between huffily correcting your neighbors and just having everyone call you Skippy, there's a big grey area. I introduce my mother as Dr. So and So. Before she had her doctorate, all of my friends called her Mrs. So and So. But if someone calls her Mrs. S she doesn't hang up the phone.

Wouldn't. Wouldn't think it so silly.

Where you say there needs to be a differentiation between MDs, DOs, and other medical degree holders, I would say there needs to be more awareness of PhDs.
But it sounds like we're both wishing for a social shift that likely won't happen.

When I first read it, I thought, well she earned it didn't she? And in a professional setting I would do as she asked. But then i started thinking. What if went around demanding to be called by the degree that we pursued... associate X bachelor X master X
And i am a mom- so should I walk around demanding people call me Mother Hainan? What about when addressing a letter, since I hold a degree and am a mother and a wife, should it be addressed Mrs. Mother Bachelor Hainan?

I don't think being a mother is the kind of thing that has to be earned over many years and is officially conferred by an accredited organization. I'm not saying being a good mother isn't hard work, but anyone can lay down and be impregnated.

And you have every right to sign letters and use Hain So&So, B.A. if you want to.

Speaking as an academic, I have observed the bias that women are more often not addressed properly as 'Dr' or 'Professor'. Earning the PhD is an achievement that is equal to completing medical school and if you want to use it, I say go for it. I doubt that she would insist it be used in social situations, it seems from the article that this discussion is coming from that her title as a PhD will be used in announcements, and the like, from the White House - which to me is the height of formality and thus a perfectly appropriate place to use your formal title.
And I heartily agree with True Song in society needing to have greater appreciation for the work that goes into a PhD. It's hard!!

If I spent all that time and energy earning an advanced degree, you bet your butt I'd ask to be called Dr.

Why wouldn't you? That's an accomplishment and totally deserving of respect.

Perhaps it's my background in the liberal arts, but I'm used to calling lots of folks "Doctor" - not just medical docs.

"even the art ones"... ???

She has a doctorate. She's a professor. She's a doctor.

Is it smug for Barack Obama to be called President Obama? Irrelevant? No, not really. Masculinist? Well, that's a whole other discussion. Accurate? Yes.

Ok first of all, she has a Ed.D., not a PhD.

Second of all, we call MDs Doctors even when we are not in a professional setting. What is the difference for a Ed.D?

Third of all, anyone who puts in the work for any doctorate should not have to INFORM people what their proper title is.

Fourth of all, it is not pretentious, it is just accurate. Is it pretentious if Barack Obama insists that we call him President Obama? No! Because THAT'S HIS TITLE!

Please excuse my fourth of all, Pegona already said it!!!

Maybe lawyers get the tough break. After all, Michelle does have a JD which stands for juris DOCTOR, and we don't call her or her lawyer friends Dr.

But then again, they get the big bucks! So I don't feel so bad for them

It's a little different in science (my field) where it's more standard to call a scientist Ph.D. a Dr., as opposed to someone in, say, history, but it's still a doctoral degree all the same. I am working on finishing up my Ph.D. in a biochemistry/biophysics field, and my husband is a medical doctor. He earned his MD in 4 years... it will take me 7 years to earn my Ph.D... and not because he is by any means more intelligent, but because it is more challenging to earn a Ph.D., as you have to prove something new, have papers accepted for publication, and defend a thesis.

If someone in the supermarket were to call me Mrs. after I earn my Ph.D., I would certainly not correct them, but it WILL hurt quite a bit when my husband's family continues to send mail, wedding invitations, etc to Dr. & Mrs. Working 80+ hours/week in the lab for 7 years should at least come with a title in formal addressing.

I'm sure Dr. Biden is not asking for her friends to address her as such, but when she is talked about in the media and formally addressed (as in, nobody would call the president Barack, he is always formally President Obama), she has every right to use her hard-earned title, and that is not pretentious at all.

>Were Henry Kissinger and Condoleezza Rice medical doctors or smug feminists? Martin Luther King?

Steph

Yes, Juliejulie, yes!

Doesn't bother me any. And I agree with True on this one.

Also we have a very dear friend of the family who is a retired Brigadier General and he goes by General so-and-so, always has, always will and he insists on it. I never got upset when I was corrected that he is General and not Mr.

I think there are far more things to get upset about than how people wish to be addressed.

I think she is adamant about being called Dr. Biden because she want to be known as "more" than just Joe Biden's wife. But it's her rightful title, and she earned it, so why not?

And, she IS more than Joe Biden's wife.

Reeks of haughtiness? Just because she has more education than you (I'm guessing?) doesn't make her haughty. IMO. She earned the title, so whatever. She wants to be called doctor, she should be called doctor. Not like she's masquerading as someone with an education.