Admiral Levine

Last Friday, Compass LGBTQ Community Center in Lake Worth Beach, FL posted a very special message from our US assistant secretary for health. Let me introduce her to you. She is Rachel Leland Levine, MD, an American pediatrician and a four-star admiral in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. She served as Pennsylvania's Physician General and then later as Pennsylvania's Secretary of Health. President Joe Biden formally nominated her to be assistant secretary for health. She is the first openly transgender person to hold an office that requires Senate confirmation. Late last year she was commissioned as a four-star admiral in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, becoming the first openly transgender four-star officer in any of the United States uniformed services. Admiral Levine is also the first female four-star admiral in the commissioned corps. Oh and the Admiral, as head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, is in charge of more than 6,000 public health professionals.

Let me go back to that special message I mentioned. You can hear what Admiral Levine had to say HERE. Also, if you'd like to know more about Compass LGBTQ+ Community Center, go to their website at https://www.compassglcc.com/

Someday I want to meet Admiral Levine in person. She seems like an incredible person. How wonderful it is to finally see a transwoman in such an important position. The other day I saw her holding a Pride Flag with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who is openly gay. Despite the bad news coming out of Washington, there are things to be happy about too! One more thing about Admiral Levine, she was named as one of USA Today's women of the year earlier this year, which recognizes women who have made a significant impact.