Yes, I agree, but I'm sympathetic: GH has always pushed the flat-hierarchy, we-are-all-peers attitude. And I think that's cool in theory, but has potentially bad side-effects like this one, where people feel pressured in situations where they viscerally know they are not peers, even if the atmosphere tries to push that idea.
She pretty plainly states that it never even entered her mind. That tells me more about the atmosphere there than anything.