In a piece for a national review back in 2018, David French chose not to refer to former Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning by the name Chelsea. Fast forward to now, and French seems to have changed his stance, leading to some public confusion. This was apparent when he acknowledged Brian Riedle, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, who identifies by the name Jessica.
In a post on social media platform X, French praised Jessica for her new role at Dispatch, stating, “This is great news for Dispatches. No one is better at fiscal policy than Jessica.”
While he didn’t use the preferred pronoun for Riedle in his tweets, some believe French’s approach, including a reference to Riedle’s preferred pronoun in a New York Times article, was an attempt to steer clear of controversy.
French expressed admiration for Jessica’s expertise in the field of federal budgets, mentioning how much he learned from her insights. Yet, there’s a complex dialogue surrounding pronoun use in media these days, and it raises questions about truth and perception.
Years ago, French was opposed to the use of preferred pronouns. In an article titled “Transgender Argument: Conservatives Can’t Compromise on Truth,” he argued that discussions about transgender issues aren’t about tolerance but about an unwavering commitment to truth.
“Conservatives must acknowledge the biological realities surrounding sexuality and cannot endorse notions of gender that contradict this,” he pointed out, adding that using female pronouns could be seen as endorsing a fictional narrative.
He also framed the insistence on preferred pronoun usage as a potential violation of free speech, characterizing it as a form of tyranny.
Interestingly, while French has critiqued others for aligning with figures he deems tyrannical, some observers note that by affirming Riedle’s identity, he may also be submitting to what he previously labeled as tyranny.
