| No Images? Click here   If Biden Were A CEO, He’d Be DoneThought experiment: What if former vice president Joe Biden were a CEO, and female employees at his company were publicly speaking up about how he’s made them uncomfortable over the years by touching them -- kisses on the head, shoulder rubs, nuzzling noses, hugs, etc.What would his board of directors tell him to do?In 2019, a time when women are finally being recognized as human beings deserving of respect (that's what the MeToo movement is), a good board would tell him to own his behavior, apologize and even resign.This would not be a huge devastation, by the way. “He’d take a huge severance and be rehired in a year,” Liz Stapp, a business ethics professor at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado told me earlier today.Still, stepping down means more than any kind of apology, she said. “The deepest apology is behavior," Stapp said. "Self-imposed consequences."The backstory in case you missed it: Four women have so far opened up and told stories about how Biden made them uncomfortable in public settings by touching them. Examples: unwanted shoulder squeezes, hair sniffing, a hand on the thigh.On Wednesday, Biden offered a nonapology/explanation of his behavior in a video on Twitter. He was just trying to connect with people, he said. Times have changed, he said. He will change, he said. He didn't really say how."Social norms have begun to change, they’re shifted, and the boundaries of protecting personal space have been reset, and I get it, I get it," he said. "I hear what they’re saying, I understand it. And I’ll be much more mindful ― that’s my responsibility. That’s my responsibility, and I’ll meet it."For the past week, Biden's defenders have argued essentially that this is just Joe being Joe.But he’s not your average Joe. This is the former vice-president, and a longtime Senator before that. A powerful person whose actions in public carry a much greater weight.A reason few people have complained in the past about Biden's behavior is because he was incredibly powerful. If Biden is your political ally and you need him on your side, of course you keep your mouth shut when he makes you feel icky.When the boss hugs you, and it's unwelcome, you probably won't do or say anything. You need to be on his good side.Donald Trump said it well: When you're famous they let you do it. You have to be pretty self-aware to overcome that.To be sure, Biden is not being accused of assault or even harassment. If anything he’s guilty of benevolent sexism, as my colleague Emma Gray wrote today.He surely would've gotten a pass back in the day when women were totally powerless compared to men. Back then there was no need to consider women's feelings or desires before giving them a little pat on the head or an affectionate squeeze.Indeed, Biden did get a pass. He was known for being overly affectionate, for handing out handshakes and kisses to all who crossed his path.But women have accrued more power at work and in politics. And you can't treat powerful people like cute little girls. (No one is sneaking up behind Donald Trump or Mitch McConnell or Nancy Pelosi and kissing their heads.)In the case of former Nevada state Assemblywoman Lucy Flores, she described being in a crowded room preparing for Biden to introduce her at a political rally. He came up behind her, sniffed her hair and kissed the back of her head. He didn't ask if he could touch her. They didn't know each other very well."[H]e stopped treating me like a peer the moment he touched me. Even if his behavior wasn’t violent or sexual, it was demeaning and disrespectful," Flores writes. "I wasn’t attending the rally as his mentee or even his friend; I was there as the most qualified person for the job."The context was egregious, Stapp said."A woman can hardly be seen as strong, powerful and intelligent minutes after 'Papa Joe' rubs noses with her or kisses her on the top of her head like an infant," Stapp said. It is damaging to her credibility as a leader.Women already struggle with this, particularly in politics, she added.Biden in his Twitter message Wednesday said politics isn’t a sterile place and he's always felt a need to make a human connection to show people he cares and respects them.The actions Flores describes doesn't show that at all.It's true that politics isn't sterile; it's a passionate realm, not an office. There is a need for warmth and affection. Fair enough. But whoever said we had to do with away with those things?All Joe needed to do was ask before he touched. What an easy way to show respect and caring.Before you go...You can follow me on Twitter @EmilyRPeck    Here's what else you need to know👋You may have noticed our website is now www.huffpost.com. Don't worry, it'll still be the same HuffPost you know and love, just with a new URL. Make sure to update your bookmarks! HuffPost is now a part of Verizon Media Group. On May 25, 2018 we introduced a new Oath Privacy Policy which explains how your data is used and shared. Learn More.The reality of being a woman — by the numbers. Like what you see? Share it with a friend. Did someone forward this email? Subscribe here. Can't get enough? Check out The Good Life.©2019 HuffPost | 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 |
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