Hi everyone, well, this is awkward. I have always been comfortable presenting my economic research in meetings, speeches, national TV interviews, and Congressional testimony. Yet whenever the attention shifts from my research to me personally (even for praise), my social anxiety leaves me self-conscious, nervous, tongue-tied, and wanting to hide.
Unfortunately, this is one of those moments when I must briefly turn the attention to myself—if only to quickly (and just once) address the inevitable deluge of questions about my name changing from Brian Riedl to Jessica Riedl.
I’ve unmistakably known I was transgender since the age of 4. Medical scans and examinations—performed as a volunteer in medical studies—have since confirmed my predominantly female brain biology, along with other biological characteristics that have countered my outwardly male appearance.
While being “myself” with family and close friends, I’ve essentially had to roleplay a different gender professionally. This made me so awkward and nervous in work settings that I have long preferred to work from home, and to avoid work-related receptions, banquets, and happy hours. So, with my family’s encouragement, I finally aligned my outward physical appearance with the rest of myself.
To be clear, my wife and kids have known this side of me from the beginning, are 100% supportive, and encouraged me to take this step. This is news to the economic policy world, not to them. Nothing has changed at home.
I’m not an activist and I’m more moderate on transgender policy issues. But I’m also not naïve about the intense abuse and demonization my community endures from politicians, demagogues, and bullies who defend themselves by dismissing transgenderism as some made-up mental delusion with no legitimate biological basis. Too many adults still cling to their 10th grade biology teacher’s (purposely) over-simplified summary that XX versus XY chromosomes cleanly determine all subsequent male or female biological and gender development.
Students who continue in biology and related fields learn that each person’s genes contain a full blueprint for both male and female development. And while the vast majority of humans still develop consistently male or female in the womb, approximately one percent of people trigger genes, chromosomes, hormones, and/or physical/brain developments that cross between the two sexes (and who do not always meet a strict definition of intersex either). Examples include being chromosomally female but hormonally male. Or—because the genitals and the brain implement their sex instructions during different trimesters—following first trimester male genital development with third trimester female brain development, due likely to chemical changes in the womb in between those points. For a sample of the research on the (very real) biology of transgenderism, from basic overviews to dense medical studies, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
And while some young people believe themselves to be transgender and then later conclude otherwise, millions of transgender people live this biological reality across every known place and culture. Thus, transgenderism cannot be legislated, beaten, mocked, boycotted, or discriminated out of existence. Instead, such aggressive intolerance drives this vulnerable community’s tragically high rates of depression and suicide attempts. This includes relatives, friends, neighbors, and colleagues whom you’d never suspect could be transgender, yet who live in daily fear of being discovered and ostracized.
That said, working in conformity-obsessed politics, I’m resigned to some insults and reduced opportunities to share my economic policy analysis—even among those who otherwise decry “cancel culture.” But being in the out-group is nothing new. Growing up in 1980s Northern Wisconsin, as an awkward kid trying to act naturally male, I was bullied and beaten so badly and so frequently for so long that my family eventually had to sell our house and move to a new school district. Those harrowing years—which I barely survived—ultimately made me resilient and independent. I resolved to carve my own ambitious path, stand up to bullies, and never again be intimidated or fear standing alone before a mob.
This stubborn resolve came in handy in 2001, when, as an unknown, 26-year-old economist, I was hired at a leading conservative think tank and expected to keep my head down and support the home team. Instead, my relentless highlighting of Bush’s soaring budget deficits earned a briefing-and-communications ban from the Bush White House, a near-termination of my nascent D.C. think tank career—and, years later, complete vindication to the point that Bush’s own OMB director would recruit me to become his chief economist following his 2010 election to the U.S. Senate. And throughout 23 years in Washington, my non-partisan, data-heavy, inconvenient economic truths have consistently drawn the ire of White Houses, lawmakers, speech audiences, television interviewers, and Twitter mobs from across the political spectrum. As long as my economic information is correct and presented respectfully, then other people’s response to it (or to my gender) is their problem.
Despite a new name and look, I’m still the same person with the same right-of-center economic policies. Hopefully a bit more at ease. And the last thing this polite Midwesterner wants is to make anyone uncomfortable or self-conscious. So I won’t be policing pronouns or names when well-meaning people trip up on mine. And I can laugh about how being a principled deficit hawk is no longer my most unique feature in Washington politics.
My wish is to still be defined professionally by my economic research and let my gender blend into the background without any special privilege or punishment. Which is why this quick (and I wish unnecessary) message to explain my name change and share research on transgender biology will be the only time I publicly discuss my own gender identity. I refuse to give ammunition to culture warriors on either side, and no one’s transgender status should be treated by reporters as some bizarre novelty for public gawking. I may occasionally weigh in on broader transgender policy issues, but overall I’d rather continue to circulate my cool budget charts, combat conservative and liberal economic myths, and specify the most reasonable and bipartisan way to fix the federal debt.
Now, back to economic policy and my relentless warnings that Social Security’s and Medicare’s $124 trillion cash shortfall is fiscally unsustainable…
Jessica Riedl
Admire you greatly, carry on with pride and certitude: Right is Always Right.
I now admire your courage along with your intellect. Just read of your name change.