Department of Health and Human Services Updates Portraits of Transgender Officials

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has altered the official portraits of former transgender officials from the Biden administration to display their birth names instead of the names they adopted. This adjustment affects individuals such as Rachel Levine, who previously served as the assistant secretary of health and achieved the rank of admiral. Levine, born male, was the first transgender person confirmed by the Senate.

Prior to the government shutdown earlier this year, Levine’s portrait at HHS featured the name “Rachel Levin,” but it’s now labeled with “Richard Levin,” her birth name. Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson, stated that their aim is to ensure that the information the department presents aligns with standard science, emphasizing a commitment to overturning policies initiated by Levine and focusing on biological realities in public health approaches.

Levine has addressed the change through a spokesperson, who told NPR that the current leadership made a “bias” move by altering Levine’s name in the portrait during the shutdown. “During the federal shutdown, the current leadership in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health changed Admiral Levine’s photo, removed her current legal name, and used her former name,” said Adrian Shanker, Levine’s spokeswoman.

Levine herself responded by saying that she wouldn’t “comment on these kinds of petty actions.” Throughout her tenure in the Biden administration, Levine has stirred controversy, firmly stating that there’s “no debate” regarding the safety and effectiveness of transgender medical procedures. She advocates for hormone blockers for children to prevent what she terms “hitting the wrong puberty.”

In a past statement, Levine remarked, “Gender-affirming care is medical care. Gender-affirming care is mental health care. Gender-affirming care is literally suicide prevention care.”