Dr. Rachel Levine, President Joe Biden’s pick as Assistant Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), advocates for the use of puberty blockers and the medical transition of minors.
As highlighted by The National Pulse, Levine in January 2020 posted support for puberty blockers as a safeguard against suicide and mental health problems of gender confused minors.
“A new study has found that #Transgender youth with access to a puberty blocker have decline in chances of suicide + #mentalhealth problems now and in the future,” Levine boasted. “This study is important because it’s the first to show this specific association.”
A new study has found that #Transgender youth with access to a puberty blocker have decline in chances of suicide + #mentalhealth problems now and in the future. This study is important because it's the first to show this specific association. https://t.co/axYncR0m4l
— Dr. Rachel Levine (@SecretaryLevine) January 24, 2020
Levine has spoken publicly about support for the medical transition of minors and the use of puberty blockers for children who “just start puberty” as a way to make sure they don’t “go through the wrong puberty.”
In 2017, Levine served as Physician General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine and gave a speech at Franklin & Marshall College that touched on the transition of youths.
The speech was first highlighted by The National Pulse on Monday.
Levine spoke about past patients, including a 16-year-old boy who “always felt female.” The minor was directed to counseling, given hormones, and transitioned. Likewise, another patient of Levine’s, a 17-year-old girl who “always felt male,” went through the same medical process and transitioned to the male gender.
Pre-pubescent children do not receive medical treatment, Levine said. But as soon as a gender confused child starts puberty, they could be given puberty blockers so they “never go through the wrong puberty.”
At around ages 14-16, Levine said, minors can start cross-gender hormones.
Most surgical treatments start at age 18, added Levine, carving out some exceptions for surgical transitions at an earlier age.
Biden has called Levine a “deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts” who would help Americans “no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.”
The Biden-Harris transition team also boasted in a press release that Levine would be “the first openly transgender Senate-confirmed federal official” if nominated successfully.
Levine made headlines last year after pulling their mother out of her nursing home as Covid-19 hit Pennsylvania’s elderly population.
“In a move authorized by Levine, Pennsylvania was one of the few states that forced nursing homes to accept COVID-19 positive residents or face disciplinary action,” The Daily Wire reported. “As a result, over 70% of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 deaths occurred in long-term care facilities during the first months of the pandemic.”
“My mother requested, and my sister and I as her children complied, to move her to another location during the COVID-19 outbreak,” Levine said in May, ABC27 reported.
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Related: 5 Things to Know About Biden HHS Appointee Dr. Rachel Levine