Dave Brat, Adam Smith, and Deirdre McCloskey: who doesn't belong in this picture?

No Daily Kos reader will be surprised to learn that Dave Brat (VA-7) has knuckle-dragger views on gender and gender self-identification. He doesn’t seem to have learned the basic civics class notion that democracy is majority rule, yes, but only if minority rights are protected. Without that bit in italics, we have mob rule, not democracy. Protecting minority rights isn’t only morally right, it is imperative for the thriving of our democracy.

Brat, however, has gone out of his way to make life more difficult for transgender people, co-sponsoring HR 5275 and 5812, summarized here:

Prohibiting the Usurpation of Bathroom Laws through Independent Choice School Act (PUBLIC School Act) of 2016 This bill declares that it shall not be unlawful under federal law for a state or local government to enact or enforce a policy regarding the use of sex-segregated bathrooms or locker rooms of educational institutions on the basis of gender identity. The bill prohibits the reduction or denial of federal financial assistance on the basis that a state or local government enacts or enforces such a policy. Civil Rights Uniformity Act of 2016 This bill prohibits the word "sex" or "gender" from being interpreted to mean "gender identity," and requires "man" or "woman" to be interpreted to refer exclusively to a person's sex, for purposes determining the meaning of federal civil rights laws or related federal administrative agency regulations or guidance. No federal civil rights law shall be interpreted to treat gender identity or transgender status as a protected class, unless it expressly designates "gender identity" or "transgender status" as a protected class.

And, on July 26, Brat’s press secretary relayed this comment from him in response to President Trump’s transgender stance:

“Earlier this month, I voted to stop putting taxpayers on the hook for gender reassignment surgery in the military. I have not yet seen any specific policy related to President Trump’s tweet today, so I cannot comment on what the military leaders at the Pentagon would be implementing.” Richmond Times-Dispatch

Economic historian Deirdre McCloskey

It may come as a surprise, then, to learn that Brat is a huge fan of economic historian Deirdre McCloskey, who started out life as Donald McCloskey, transitioning in the ‘90s after 30 years of marriage and two children. She is up there in the academic stratosphere and has been for decades as a scholar who theorizes on personal liberty, virtue, and free markets — as Brat also does, though for Brat the buck doesn’t extend to gender identification (or women’s reproductive rights). Brat has cited McCloskey frequently in his academic work, but has not, so far as I know, acknowledged publicly that a scholar who had a major influence on his thinking was transgender.

I wonder what Brat would have to say about McCloskey’s views on gender in relation to the ideas of Adam Smith — one of Brat’s heroes?

The Blessed Adam Smith wrote of “the liberal plan, of equality, liberty, and justice.” Damned right. Modern historians view identity as a one-time affair, which then is sociological determinative of an entire life. Like Popeye, you are what you are. And my colleagues in literary studies, gay or straight, tend to view my change as something like a fashion choice. Hey, cool. I guess it’s better than confused disdain. A society like ours trying to follow Adam Smith’s liberal plan allows gender transition, and out gays and lesbians, and green hair. In Iran, in accord with the queer-killing locker-room theory, gays are compelled to change gender. And you know how the queers are treated in Uganda, that bastion of Anglican Christianity. From Deirdre McCloskey, "Straight Man to Queer Woman By Way of Economic Liberty," from the American Economic Assoc. LGBTQ Newsletter, Aug. 2017

One more questions to get up in Brat’s grill with at his next town hall — if there ever is one!