Trump Admin Deadnames' Biden's Transgender Health and Human Services Official in Portrait Reveal

"A new portrait name plate for former Biden Health and Human Services official Rachel Levine, who is a transgender woman, drew cries of bigotry when it was revealed Monday. Instead of displaying her current name, the Trump administration created the name plate to reflect Levine's so-called dead name of Richard. Deadnaming is when a transgender person is called by their birth name instead of the name that reflects their gender transition."

"An HHS spokesperson told NPR this, quote, Our priority is ensuring that the information presented internally and externally by HHS reflects gold-standard science. We remain committed to reversing harmful policies enacted by Levine and ensuring that biological reality guides our approach to public health. The portrait change appears to be product of the president's executive order to mandate all federal employees when acting in official capacity shall be recognized by sex, which is biological, and not gender identity."

"The Human Rights Campaign called the portrait revision a public display of bigotry.' Some government officials and pundits expressed their outrage on social media. California state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) vowed to change the nameplate when Democrats are back in power, while Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) wrote that insecure Trump officials are busy stoking bigotry instead of honoring a patriot."

The Trump administration replaced Rachel Levine's HHS portrait name plate with her birth name, Richard, prompting accusations of deadnaming and bigotry. Deadnaming refers to calling a transgender person by their birth name instead of their chosen name. Levine served as Assistant Secretary for Health under President Biden, was the first openly transgender four-star officer, the first transgender person to hold a Senate-confirmed office, and was prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic. An HHS spokesperson said the department prioritizes "gold-standard science," plans to reverse policies enacted by Levine, and intends to recognize employees by biological sex. Advocacy groups and Democratic officials criticized the change and vowed to restore the nameplate.

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