US poised to get first transgender federal official after Joe Biden taps Rachel Levine as assistant health secretary
- Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine is one of the few transgender people serving in elected or appointed positions in the US
- Her nomination to federal office will require confirmation by the Senate, which will soon be in the Democrats’ hands
A paediatrician and former Pennsylvania physician general, Levine was appointed to her current post by Democratic Governor Tom Wolf in 2017, making her one of the few transgender people serving in elected or appointed positions nationwide.
She won past confirmation by the Republican-majority Pennsylvania Senate and has emerged as the public face of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Dr Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic – no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability – and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,” Biden said in a statement.
“She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts.”
