Transgender health leader in Pa. and for Biden has name changed on official federal portrait
Among the portraits of agency leaders that line the hallways at the federal Department of Health and Human Services is one of Adm. Rachel Levine, who served as Pennsylvania secretary of health and physician general before being named President’s Biden’s assistant secretary of health.
Levine was the first transgender person to win Senate confirmation when she assumed the position in 2021 that she would hold for four years.
National Public Radio reported Friday that the portrait now identifies Levine by her previous name.
“During the federal shutdown, the current leadership of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health changed Admiral Levine’s photo to remove her current legal name and use a prior name,” says Adrian Shanker, Levine’s spokesperson, describing it as an act “of bigotry against her.”
Speaking to NPR, Levine said it was an honor to serve the American people as the assistant secretary for health “and that she would not comment ”on this type of petty action.”
Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon told NPR: “Our priority is ensuring that the information presented internally and externally by HHS reflects gold standard science. We remain committed to reversing harmful policies enacted by Levine and ensuring that biological reality guides our approach to public health.”
In 2024, Trump campaigned on an anti-transgender platform, even featuring Levine’s image in negative campaign ads.
Since being elected Trump has imposed anti-trans policies across agencies, including changing passport rules and forcing out transgender members of the military without benefits.
His orders extended to the states where hospitals were coerced to end gender-affirming care for young people. The Department of Justice is currently trying to force hospitals to provide medical information on individuals getting gender-affirming care and threatening providers with criminal prosecution.
In Pennsylvania, Levine distinguished herself as a leader in the fight against opioid abuse, HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. She would go on in federal service to work to end the COVID pandemic and promote childhood vaccines.
