WASHINGTON — In March 2021, for the first time, the U.S. Senate confirmed an openly transgender person for a top federal post. Dr. Rachel Levine was approved to serve as an assistant secretary for health and became the first openly transgender four-star officer in any of the nation’s uniformed services when she was commissioned as an admiral in U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. This came as Texas and other states have enacted laws and policies limiting transgender rights. Now, Levine has taken it upon herself to stand up to attacks on the LGBTQ community.

What You Need To Know

  • In March 2021, the U.S. Senate confirmed former Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be the nation’s assistant secretary of health. She is the first openly transgender federal official to win Senate confirmation

  • The confirmation came as Texas and other Republican-led states passed laws limiting the rights of LGBTQ people 

  • Levine recently visited North Texas to speak at a medical conference about LGBTQ health care.  In her prepared remarks at the Out For Health Conference at Texas Christian University, Levine said, “The language of care and compassion that we take for granted is being used to tear our communities apart"

  • Levine said the administration is responding to the anti-transgender legislation through policy, advocacy and legal action. She encourages families to file complaints with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights

“Transgender medicine for youth and adults is actually a well-established field in medicine,” Levine told Spectrum News. “Political figures should leave this to the patients leave it to their families and leave it to their doctors to decide what is the best treatment, evaluation and treatment for these young people.”

Among a slew of actions, the Republican-majority Texas Legislature restricted transgender youth participation in sports and the state has resumed investigations into parents of transgender kids for child abuse. Spectrum News has spoken to families that moved out of Texas for fear of their child’s safety, as well as persecution.

“It is very concerning, not just Texas, that there are many other states that have passed laws or taken actions, again, which are targeting these young people,” Levine said. “It is egregious that they are targeting vulnerable young people and their families for politically motivated, these politically motivated actions.”

The assistant secretary of health recently visited North Texas to speak at a medical conference about LGBTQ health care.

In her prepared remarks at the Out For Health Conference at Texas Christian University, Levine said, “The language of care and compassion that we take for granted is being used to tear our communities apart. The language of medicine and science is being used to drive people to suicide. The mantle of concern for children is being claimed to destroy children’s lives. We have to stand up. We have to take a stand on behalf of those who are being hurt. We have to be doctors. This is what we do, even when it’s difficult.”

While there, Levine also sat down with transgender children and their families. Levine said they were feeling stressed and uncomfortable given the political environment, but she wanted to also offer a message of hope and that the Biden administration supports the community.

This came after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton purposely misgendered her. Levine said the attacks do not surprise her and she is able to compartmentalize the comments to empower her to help vulnerable youth and families.

“Being attacked by the attorney general, the governor of your state is very concerning. And it leads to lots of anxiety and concern for these young people and their families. And that's what I worry about,” Levine said.

Levine said the administration is responding to the anti-transgender legislation through policy, advocacy and legal action. She encourages families to file complaints with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights.

“It is critically important that I pay it forward with the opportunities that I have had in this position, and to advocate for health equity in general. And in this case, health equity for the LGBTQI+ community, and I consider it an honor to do so” Levine said.

The administration may find Texas and other states are in violation of the Affordable Care Act.