Biden's Trans Health Secretary Faces Backlash For Praising Her Decision To Wait On Transitioning As She Fights To 'Normalize' Gender-Affirming Care For Minors
A video emerged of activist Dr. Rachel Levine that seemingly caught the transgender activist contradicting her current fight to secure and protect gender-affirming care for minors, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Levine was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2021 to serve as the 17th Assistant Secretary for Health. With her confirmation, the 65-year-old pediatrician became the first openly transgender assistant health secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
With having first-hand experience with transitioning — and as a mother-of-two — Levine emerged as a leader in the fight to protect trans youth across the country, but a recent video captured the outspoken advocate praising her choice to wait until adulthood to seek gender-affirming care.
Levine has championed her fight for trans rights on "normalizing" gender-affirming care, even in the case of minors.
When the assistant health secretary began her transition in 2011, she was 54 years old and had been married for 23 years, a union that welcomed two children into the world.
While Levine has rallied support from top government officials, as well as trans and LGBTQ rights groups, a video from a 2019 interview, is coming back to bite her.
While giving a speech about gender-affirming care, Levine proudly stated that she was glad she waited to transition.
"I have no regrets because if I had transitioned when I was younger, then I wouldn't have my children," Levine said in the resurfaced clip. "I can't imagine a life without my children."
Levine's tone switched when she reminisced on how different the times were then.
"I don't know if I was 15 today if I would take so long," Levin remarked to the crowd.
While the HHS physician claimed that she was grateful for her delayed transition, Levin continued to advocate for minors who sought gender-affirming care, such as hormone therapy.
Just yesterday, Levin doubled down on her current position despite viral attention.
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Levine appeared on a podcast hosted by Connecticut Children's Hospital and pledged that trans youth and their families had the full support of the Biden administration.
"I can say that you, the children that you serve, the young people that you serve, their families, and you all have support at the highest levels of the federal government," Levin said on the podcast. "President Biden supports you. I as the Assistant Secretary for Health will support you and I talk about this topic, everywhere I go, to get the word out."
With reference to the interview's resurfacing, Levin noted that she hoped the topic of transitioning and trans rights would one day become less of a political "minefield."