Tuesday, January 19, 2021

DR LEVINE!


I didn't know if I wanted to do a post about this most jubilant news or not, but yes....I did indeed say yes I wanted to post this. It was with great news that President - elect Joe Biden announced today that he will nominate Pennsylvania's top health official, Dr. Rachel Levine our Secretary of Health, as his Assistant Secretary of Health, who would become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the US Senate, and the first in a president's administration appointed position. And one that I feel is very well deserved. Dr. Rachel Levine is a brilliant woman, and I know I speak for the people of PA , well, those of us with common sense, that we couldn't be more proud of her and her service to our state. Levine has long been a respected figure in PA political and health communities. She has been very much involved with daily briefings during our pandemic, and very instrumental with getting state relief and safety guidelines and supplies in place not to mention getting the covid app set up and ready to get out. She and our governor worked perfect together during these tiring times. And let's face it...if confirmed she is going to really give the trans community a huge push in the right direction. So yes...I think it's important to feature this and get it out there, visible.

Levine is originally from Wakefield Massachusetts. She is Jewish, grew up attending Hebrew school and even as far back then she recalled that while she was growing up, her rabbi did not talk about LGBTQ issues. She earned her high school diploma and then went on to Harvard College and the Tulane University School of Medicine and completed a residency in pediatrics and fellowship in adolescent medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Chicago. She then went on to a fellowship at Mount Sinai in NYC. After moving from Manhattan to central Pennsylvania in 93 she joined the staff at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, which during her tenure there, she created Penn State Hershey's adolescent medicine division and eating disorders clinic. She was in charge of the latter when she was nominated for the position of the Pennsylvania Physician General in 2015, where she stayed till Governor Wolf in 2017 appointed she to Secretary of Health and she was unanimously confirmed from both sides respectfully. Levine transitioned in 2011 and with not much fanfare surprisingly...the way it should be. Levine is also a board member of Equality Pennsylvania, an LGBTQ rights organization and has two grown children. Just prior to Transgender Day of Visibility, Levine discussed her role in the fight against COVID -19 and how her visibility can make a difference in the fight against anti- LGBTQ and especially trans stigma.


Congratulations, Dr Levine!!!!! Much luck to you!

And we thank you for your service to our citizens of PA.

41 comments:

  1. she and gov. wolf have been ADULTS and LEADERS in the COVID fight for this state. the country could not get a better assistant at HHS!

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  2. I hope she is confirmed! That would be HUGE for our and my community!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And she has done a surmounted amount of work with our COVID situation here.

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  3. Congrats to her! Good news!

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  4. Nice! I hope she's confirmed.

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  5. This was fabulous when it was announced. If she makes it, We will have arrived!

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  6. Dr. Levine has done an amazing job here in Pa as the head of the Coronavirus outbreak. Her steady, clear and well planned daily briefings were a very calming force, especially in the early stages of the pandemic. She faced many obstacles along the way, mostly from the Republican lead State Legislature but she didn't let it impede her. I cannot imagine how hard her job has been. I am thrilled she will take a national position...she more than deserves it.

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  7. Such good news. Congratulations to Dr. Levine. The Senate will be wise to accept her.

    Love,
    Janie

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  8. Fantastic news!
    So good to get a first-hand opinion about her. Uncle Joe is choosing a very diverse, capable group of people to work with him.
    A world of difference!

    XOXO

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  9. Competent people in government will be all around us once again. President Elect Biden realizes that our country stands to benefit from the diversity that he promised and is putting forward. Congratulations to Dr.Levine. I just hope we can can this country back and prove to the world were not all bumbling idiots. I shall play my cello in honor of the incoming tomorrow.

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  10. Celina Acedo1/19/2021

    You people have an odd obsession with diversity.

    And no worry...trump will be back in 2024.

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    1. Cap Chasen1/20/2021

      I live in PA and she is extremely well qualified. Cudos to Rachel Levine for ignoring the insults and doing her job. Some people are just shameful. I find your comment highly insulting.

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    2. American pediatrician currently serving as the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health. She also serves as Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine. She was previously Pennsylvania's Physician General.

      When you get credentials like these, we'll listen to you. Now hunny, your four years is up.

      Be gone!!!!

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    3. Trumper Trash is really out on this one I see already.

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    4. NOT MY PRESIDENT!!!! RESIST!!!! NOW LEAVE WITH YOUR MOBSTER.

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    5. Pure ignorance. Celina, did someone put a bunch of splinters in your undies today?

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    6. Well said Maddie! He is right....your time is up, and your side did a bang up job and trashed this country...now give back the country to us adults, with qualifications, knowledge, and morals.

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    7. Mistress, You can't fix stupid, as is evidenced by this commentor.

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  11. Congratulations to Dr.Levine. Thank you Joe for looking at the qualifications and experience of an individual. She seems pretty amazing.

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  12. ONE HUGE STEP FOR THE TRANS COMMUNITY!!!!!!!!! I hope she is appointed.

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  13. I like great news...so wonderful after 4 years of steady bad news to have a president to be who makes one good decision after another. And another great contribution from Pennsylvania to follow up on the electoral votes. Congratulations to Dr. Levine!!!

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  14. Brava! To Dr. Levine.
    Bravo! To Joe for making his team look like America!

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  15. I am very happy with this decision , but shouldn't the headline for this just be "Biden chooses qualified candidate for job"? We normalize the trans community by treating them the exact same way we would treat anyone else. This story makes it sound like the most important reason that Dr. Levine was chosen was because she is trans and that is a bit of a slight to the good doctor. I mean this so to not be smart or offense.

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    1. None taken Gretchen I see you point and sad we have to. Unfortunately we're not at that point yet. Someday that would be the proper way to deal with the situation but right now it's still important to recognize that trans people exist and are in such positions.

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  16. Congrats! Always good to have competent people at the top. Hope the UK follows this example.
    Sx

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  17. Dr. Levine has been a steady guide through the pandemic I read, she has been truthful and informative. I would count her as one of the best medical advisors on the Est coast.

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  18. She tried mightily, in the face of a rigid Republican House and Senate, to tell the truth about what it would take to help keep us safe. She knew that to open our businesses and schools that we had to control the pandemic. They fought her at every turn, but she never backed down. The good Doctor is a fighter henny.

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  19. That is great news!!!! And thanks for some of the background on her.Republican lawmakers will hopefully learn something from this.... It’s not the richest people around that should be serving in these positions... It is a HIGHLY QUALIFIED person with a plethora of experience.

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  20. Congrats to Dr. Levine.

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  21. This cabinet is really shaping up, and about time we get this country to represent all.

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  22. Yes, congratulations and a huge thank you to Dr. Levine. And a thank you to YOU as well.

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  23. Maybe one day it will not excite any interest, except by family and friends, when someone transitions; may that day come soon

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  24. We shall all ignore the troll!

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  25. Competent people in government will be nice again won't?

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  26. Progressive things are happening already!

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  27. Marvelous. Happy for her. Love her hair. Oh, Joe... please keep bringing the good stuff. I wonder what kind of reward Dr. Jill gives Little Joe every time an angel gets its wings?

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  28. what a grand story this is !

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  29. congratulations! and what a bio here

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  30. Fantastic news. Joe is doing a great job of including so many different backgrounds. And Dt Levine is eminently qualified for this position.

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  31. Amazing progress, and many miles to go before we sleep,

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!