HOW TO THINK ABOUT IT

Back to basics. Graham, one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century, first developed his eponymous rule from a 1948 manifesto co-authored with fellow evangelists in Modesto, California. Pushing the importance of integrity in finances and publicity, as well as the danger of sexual immorality, it served as a sort of personal and professional guide for Graham, who refused to travel or otherwise spend time alone with any woman other than his wife.

Modern interpretations. Before this week’s episode involving Foster and Campbell, Vice President Mike Pence was the most recent high-profile adherent of the policy, famously claiming that he wouldn’t have dinner with any woman other than his wife, Karen, or attend events with alcohol unless she was there, too. That’s why it’s now often known as the “Pence rule.” For those men who adhere to the rule, it’s a sign of respect for their wives and an attempt to head off temptations to stray. In Pence’s case, critics like employment lawyer Joanna L. Grossman suggested it might amount to illegal discrimination because it creates unequal access to the opportunity for face time with a superior. The rule has also become presidential campaign trail fodder. Sen. Kamala Harris called Pence’s practice “outrageous” in March, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand attacked Foster this week as “backward.” But Foster — running to the right in a Republican primary — could stand to benefit. About 70 percent of respondents in an online poll by the (Tupelo, Miss.) Daily Journal took his side, and he’s seen a bump in donations. Some analysts say the controversy could give a largely unknown candidate a surge of support.

Playing it “safe” on Wall Street. Even in America’s high-octane financial sector, men in power are reportedly not only avoiding going out for dinner with female colleagues, but also shying away from sitting next to women on flights and even booking hotel rooms on different floors during conferences. “It’s creating a sense of walking on eggshells,” one former Morgan Stanley managing director told Bloomberg late last year, referencing the #MeToo movement. In the famously male-dominated domain, these attitudes could continue to hold women back.

… and elsewhere. Just as the #MeToo movement gathered global steam, so too has the tendency of expressing extra caution. In India, for example, a national study conducted late last year found that 80 percent of men there have altered their workplace interactions following public shaming of celebrities in the media and entertainment industries. Nor is it restricted to the world of business; even Hollywood star Keanu Reeves may be changing his behavior in the modern era. Or so people suspect: Social media was abuzz last month after multiple images emerged of Reeves posing for photographs with female fans, including country music legend Dolly Parton, but without touching them.

WHAT TO READ

The “Billy Graham Rule” Doesn’t Honor Your Wife. It Demeans Her — And All Women by Monica Hesse in The Washington Post
“It’s rather like a thief sanctimoniously announcing that he brings a parole officer every time he goes to the bank to make sure he doesn’t rob it.”

Don’t Mock Mike Pence for Protecting His Marriage, Commend Him by Mollie Hemingway in The Federalist
“Infidelity destroys intimacy, happiness, and marriages themselves. But it happens because of the strong temptation that exists every day for most healthy people.”

WHAT TO WATCH