Most importantly, people with doctorates have a right to be called doctor. Some don't like it, but those who do have a right to be called a degree they earned.

I personally prefer to be called "Marc." But I respect peers and colleagues who choose otherwise. I'm not sure why this is complicated.

Women and people of color have a particular relationship to the term "Dr," especially in the academy. I have women colleagues whose students call them "Ms." or by their first name. This happens without permission or, even worse, when they've been asked not to.

There's also a deep and lasting skepticism about the credentials of women and people of color. Our credentials are often questioned. The use of "Dr." is often a response to these historical and contemporary relations.

In the case of Jill Biden, in the absence of the honorific "Dr.," she would be known as the "Ms" or "Second Lady," both of which erase her own identity and tether her to the person she married.

Dr. Phil does not have a medical degree, but people don't trip. Maybe it's because they don't know. But maybe it's also because he's a dude and we've never investigated it... Just a thought.

In TV media, we're often instructed to only refer to people with medical doctorates as "Dr." This has also generally been the standard in print media. Many politicians with PhDs also don't use them. This may contribute to the confusion that some have around Jill Biden.

Still, this isn't a reason for her not to use her Ed.D. Just a reason to educate the public.