Former US vice president Joe Biden has addressed the numerous allegations of unprofessional conduct and inappropriate touching against him. Seven women, some as young as 19 when the incident occurred, have publicly spoken about how Biden, making close, physical contact in public, made them uncomfortable.
Biden, who the US media thinks will announce his bid for the 2020 presidency, has finally responded to these allegations.
He didn’t apologise or take responsibility for making the seven women uncomfortable; he simply said he would be mindful of personal space moving forward.
Seven women have accused Biden of inappropriate physical contact: Lucy Flores, Amy Lappos, Vail Kohnert-Yount, Sofie Karasek, Ally Coll, Caitlyn Caruso, and D J Hill.
What happened with the seven women?
Former Nevada governor Flores said Biden smelled her hair and kissed the back of her head at an event during her 2014 campaign. She said she felt uneasy, gross, and confused.
Biden says he has no memory of this incident.
Congressional aide to Republican Jim Hines, Lappos said Biden touched her face with his hands and rubbed noses at a fundraiser in 2019. When he was pulling me in, I thought he was going to kiss me on the mouth, said Lappos.
She added that she did not file a complaint because Biden had immense social and political power.
A White House intern in 2013, Kohnert-Yount said Biden pressed his forehead to hers while speaking to her.
I was so shocked that it was hard to focus on what he was saying. I remember he told me I was a pretty girl, she said. Kohnert-Yount believes Biden had good intentions, but she felt embarrassed at the time.
She added that she doesn’t believe he sexually harassed her, but she expects more professional conduct in a workplace.
Karasek, 22, one of the sexual assault survivors who attended the 2016 Oscars as part of Lady Gagas performance, said she felt awkward when Biden placed his forehead on hers. The moment between Karasek and Biden has been photographed, as well.
Karasek was talking to Biden about sexual assault survivors in an emotional tone and he responded by clasping her hands and placing his forehead on hers. She said she appreciated his support but felt uncomfortable.
Democratic staffer Coll said Biden squeezed her shoulders, complimented her smile, and lingered during the 2008 presidential campaign. Hill also said Biden lingered his hand for too long on her shoulder and then down her back in 2012.
Caruso, 22, told a similar story about Biden resting his hand on her thigh and hugging her longer than she was comfortable with. Caruso was 19 at the time.
Biden has also experienced backlash over his handling of the Anita Hill case in 1991 as chair of the Judiciary Committee.
Bidens apology
In a recorded statement, Biden addressed the allegations against him. He also posted the statement on his Instagram and Twitter.
However, his words seem like another non apology, a statement that sounds like an apology but neither expresses regret at the damage nor takes responsibility for pain caused.
Biden said his physical contact is an effort to maintain personal connections and show people he is engaged and listening to them.
Thats my responsibility, I think. I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and say, You can do this. And whether theyre women, men, young, old, its just the way Ive always been. Its the way I try to show them I care about them and Im listening. And over the years, knowing what Ive been throughthe things that Ive facedIve found scores, if not hundreds, of people have come up to me and reached out for solace and comfort: something, anything, that might help them get through the tragedy theyre going through. And so-its just who I am, he said.
Why it is inadequate?
Bidens statement already has classic signs of a non-apology. Most notably, he justifies his inappropriate behaviour by saying its just who he is and he did it to people of all ages and both sexes. He further sanitises himself by saying his intent was sincere.
However, intent is only a small element in such discussions, because the impact of an offenders actions is far greater and often very damaging, regardless of intent. While Bidens intent is important to know, womens rights activists have said it doesn’t absolve him of his problematic behaviour.
Context is extremely important in professional settings, as well. Bidens positionality as a white man, presidential candidate, and then vice president holds immense social capital, privilege, and power across the world.
Therefore, while his intent may have been virtuous, he was operating in public settings with very skewed power dynamics, making the women even more unlikely to vocalise their discomfort.
He goes on to say that scores, if not hundreds, appreciated his touching, as if to imply that the seven women are in a minority or isolated cases, even.
And his solution?
He later adds that he was a product of his time and vows to be more mindful of personal space.
Social norms are changing. I understand that, and Ive heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. Thats my responsibility and I will meet it, he said.
Leading politicians, including Democrats, have not condemned Bidens actions. Some, like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have even come to his defence, saying his intentions were good.
A politician and presumed 2020 presidential candidate graciously addressing allegations against him is a step in the right direction. However, Bidens statement leaves much to be desired in terms of him taking accountability for his actions.
Women speak out in #MeToo
The main takeaway from Bidens statement though is that womens rights movements, particularly those focused on sexual harassment, are growing.
After Alyssa Milano tweeted about grass-roots activist Taran Burkes #MeToo, she received 500,000 similar responses from people across industries and professions.
The movement has outed a number of high-profile, serial assaulters and harassers, right from Hollywood director Harvey Weinstein to Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
In India, the movement first took flight after student Raya Sarkar published LoSHA, a list of sexual harassers in academia. Soon after, the movement cemented on social media after women began naming their harassers.
High-profile men, namely Nana Patekar, Sajid Khan, Prashant Jha, Vinod Dua, and M J Akbar, and social media influencers, such as comedian Utsav Chakraborty and AIBs Gursimran Khamba have been named in the #MeToo movement.
As of October 2018, #MeToo has been used 19 million times; this gives society an unprecedented look at the scale of harassment and the number of women refusing to stay silent any longer.
Rhea Arora is a Staff Writer at Qrius