In response to President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine as federal Assistant Health Secretary of the department of Health and Human Services—poised to be the first openly transgender official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate—the Los Angeles LGBT Center issued this statement:
“We are deeply gratified by the historic nomination of Dr. Rachel Levine as Assistant Secretary of Health by President-elect Joe Biden. Dr. Levine’s qualifications and experience—leading the fifth largest state during a public health crisis—are self-evident. Moreover, her appointment would bring a significant and desperately needed focus on access to health care for transgender people. Anti-LGBTQ legislation and administrative decisions were a hallmark of the Trump administration, and these actions have had a profoundly negative impact on the transgender community in particular. This nomination, if confirmed, is a historic step in addressing these issues.
“We are well aware that extremists will attempt to oppose her nomination simply because she is transgender. The Center joins other LGBTQ organizations and our allies to demand that Dr. Levine, given her impeccable qualifications for this post, be quickly confirmed by the Senate.”