Changes to Rachel Levine’s Official Portrait Spark Controversy

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has made an unexpected adjustment to the official portrait of retired General Rachel Levine, who served as a prominent transgender health official under the Biden administration. In a surprising move, the HHS replaced Levine’s name with her former name, the one she used prior to her transition.

Levine, who identifies as a transgender woman, shared that she struggled with gender dysphoria for many years while managing her professional life and family responsibilities. As her children grew more independent, she felt a sense of freedom to finally embrace her true self. She began transitioning in her early 50s.

The official portrait used to be displayed in the seventh-floor hallway of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building, noted for showcasing past leaders of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and was originally titled “Admiral Rachel L. Levine.” Recently, during what may have been the government shutdown that affected many employees, officials seemingly took the glass out of the frame, changed the nameplate to read “Richard L. Levine,” effectively using her dead name, and then resealed it.

In LGBTQ terminology, a “deadname” refers to the name a transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming person used prior to their transition.

Adrian Shanker, who also held a position in the Biden administration’s health sector, opined that the alteration took place during the recent shutdown. He described this change as “a petty act of pettiness and bigotry.”

The initial report of this change came to light on December 5, when Shanker claimed it was disrespectful, having received confirmation from an unnamed HHS official.

Rachel Levine, a pediatrician by training, was the HHS assistant secretary for health from March 2021 through the end of the Biden administration. She played a significant role in shaping the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been a vocal advocate for hormone blockers and gender reassignment surgery, labeling both as essential and lifesaving.

An HHS spokesperson later justified the modification, stating, “Our priority is to ensure that the information HHS presents internally and externally reflects gold standard science. We remain committed to reversing the harmful policies enacted by Levine and ensuring that biological realities guide our approach to public health.”

This change occurred under the second Trump administration and the oversight of new Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known for implementing health policies emphasizing science-based definitions of sex and gender. Additionally, there have been new restrictions regarding hormone-blocking treatments and surgeries for children experiencing gender dysphoria.

It appears that Levine’s portrait is the first of its kind to undergo such alterations, as no other former officials’ portraits have been modified in this manner.