When the news first broke that Bill and Melinda French Gates were getting divorced, it punctured the public image many of us had of the glossy magazine-cover power couple, seemingly as committed to each other as they were to saving the world.

That revelation, however, probably barely registers in your memory, as a far more explosive story emerged shortly after, with top news outlets describing Bill Gates as a serial philanderer, if not a sexual predator—allegedly seeking out romantic relationships with his subordinates and failing to investigate sexual harassment perpetrated by a senior employee.

Bill Gates has denied the reports, which are largely based on anonymous sources. Melinda French Gates, though she continues to co-lead the Gates Foundation with Bill, has remained noticeably quiet on the sidelines, as the punishing news cycle continues—led by news outlets that have long lavished both of the Gateses with praise.

This crush of reporting, however, hasn't thoughtfully connected back to the Gates Foundation, or recognized how the #MeToo allegations surrounding Bill Gates seem incompatible—or radioactive—next to the foundation's carefully manufactured women-forward, equity-centric brand.

This disconnect presents an existential crisis that could easily end the Gates Foundation as we know it.