Des Moines WOI-TV reporter says she is transgender during newscast

Nora J.S. Reichardt introduced herself to WOI-TV viewers Tuesday night.

Well, re-introduced herself.

Reichardt has been a reporter at the station for about a year, appearing on TV screens across central Iowa under a different name as she sorted out how to be an on-air journalist and her true self ― a transgender woman.

“For a long time I didn’t think that I would get to say that,” she said, flanked by a pride flag, as she announced her new name during the 6 p.m. broadcast. “At least not on air like this. I didn’t know if there was a place and a space for me to do this sort of work that I’ve really come to love and enjoy, while also getting to be myself.”

Originally from rural Minnesota, Reichardt started feeling like “a person who’s wearing my body, and not a person who’s living in it” in late high school. But at the time she couldn’t articulate exactly what was different, rationalizing all these new emotions as depression or anxiety.

Reichardt reached a “personal breaking point” after a few months on-air as a professional journalist. When she went out into the field and introduced herself, something felt off. She couldn’t connect to the person she saw on the screen. She didn’t want to be the person she saw on the screen ― not in those clothes or under that name.

But she wanted to be a reporter, desperately. She wanted to continue to change lives by telling stories.

About a year ago, she started counseling and opened up about transitioning to more and more of her friends. She was nervous to come out to her parents, to whom she is very close, but they have been completely accepting.

“What really stuck with me is when my mom told me that she doesn’t think she’s ever seen me this happy, and I feel the same way,” she said.

By early summer, most everyone in Reichardt’s life knew her as Nora, but at work she was still someone different.

She felt like she was “splitting” herself in two.

“It’s very weird to approach every day at work as if it’s a dress-up day, but there were times that that’s really what it felt like.”

In the piece, Reichardt said she was fully supported by her colleagues and her station, which has already updated her name and headshot on their website. But despite her physical changes ― she is currently seeking medical intervention through hormone replacement therapy ― Reichardt said she is still “very much the person I was before.”

“Especially for people who feel like they have a personal relationship with a trans person, it’s understandable that it can feel like a loss,” she said. “But the way I would ask people to reframe that is: You’re getting someone better.”

While Reichardt is looking forward to telling Iowans’ stories for years to come, she’s also excited for this new chapter ― the one where she’s telling the story of Nora.

“We’re living in a time when there is so much misinformation floating around about people like me. I promise we are more interesting than bathrooms or sports, or whatever,” she said. “We’re still living wonderful, fulfilling lives outside of that.”

Courtney Crowder, the Register's Iowa Columnist, traverses the state's 99 counties telling Iowans' stories. Reach her at ccrowder@dmreg.com or 515-284-8360.