Posted on 12/06/2025 12:02:58 PM PST by Drew68
As you walk down a particular hallway on the seventh floor of the Humphrey Building in Washington, D.C., you'll find a line of photographic portraits of all the people from years past who have led the Public Health Corps at the federal Department of Health and Human Services.
Only one of those portraits is of a transgender person: Adm. Rachel Levine, who served for four years as President Biden's assistant secretary for health. She was the first transgender person to win Senate confirmation, and her portrait has been displayed in the hallway since soon after she was confirmed in 2021. The role is a four-star admiral position in charge of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service.
Levine's official portrait was recently altered, a spokesperson for HHS confirmed to NPR. A digital photograph of the portrait in the hallway obtained by NPR shows that Levine's previous name is now typed below the portrait, under the glass of the frame.
"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, former deputy assistant secretary for health policy in the Biden administration who worked with Levine and is now her spokesperson. He called the move an act "of bigotry against her."
Levine told NPR that it was an honor to serve the American people as the assistant secretary for health "and I'm not going to comment on this type of petty action."
NPR asked HHS who made the change and why. In response, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon wrote: "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."
The current assistant secretary for health is Adm. Brian Christine, a urologist from Alabama who was confirmed by the Senate in October.
An HHS staff member who asked not be identified for fear of professional retribution called the change "disrespectful" and added that it exemplifies "the erasure of transgender individuals by this administration."
During the 2024 campaign, President Trump and other Republicans spent millions on anti-transgender ads, some of which featured Levine's image.
Since taking office, Trump has moved aggressively to curtail the rights of transgender and intersex people through many federal agencies, including the Departments of Health, Justice, Education, and others. At the Pentagon, transgender servicemembers were forced out of the military without benefits. At the Department of State, decades-old passport policies were reversed. The president often describes transgender people as a danger to society.
Shanker says the alteration of Levine's official portrait is unprecedented. He praised her public health work on COVID-19, syphilis, HIV/AIDS and opioids, and said rather than act vindictively towards her, current leaders at HHS should focus on the many public health challenges facing the American people.
Sometimes, it's the little things that bring me joy.
And we live in a day and time where that is considered a "controversial" approach.
Biological reality.
Biological reality.
Biological reality.
Because they're mentally ill, and don't belong in government jobs.
Exactly.
I was referring to “unprecedented.” Somehow my quote got deleted. I must not have hit “Preview.”
A man pretending to be a woman.
Just say it, NPR. You'll sleep better at night.
He is MENTALLY ILL!
The children Levine fathered no doubt prefer his original name.
“Rachel” Levine—originally Richard Levine—was married (to a woman, Martha Peaslee), and is the father of a son and a daughter.
This story brings me no joy, even if the current administration changed the name on his official portrait!
“Trump has moved aggressively to curtail the rights of transgender and intersex people...”
Richard Levine’s response leads me to believe he never legally changed his name, including the name on his bank account that received his direct deposit paychecks as assistant secretary for health.
We should be glad he didn’t go and assassinate someone. Here’s to keeping it that way. Cheers!
Levin might get mad and ask that the official portrait be removed. Would there be a downside to that?
The article steadfastly omits the use of the name “Richard”.
What a sicko that guy is!
Controversial- by the same people who mindlessly run around yelling “believe in science!!”
I think calling Levine an Admiral just compounds the lie. I understand Levine was commissioned an Admiral under the Biden administration. But that just cheapens the rank further, in my opinion, because millions have served honorable careers in the US Navy and never approached such a lofty rank. Levine was appointed into a role and wore a costume, in my opinion.
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