Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health, Adm. Rachel Levine, left, speaks after having attended a roundtable on gender-affirming care and transgender health, along with Arianna Inurritegui-Lint, right, CEO and founder of Arianna’s Center, Wednesday, June 29, 2022, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
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UPDATED 9:33 AM PT – Thursday, June 30, 2022
Assistant Secretary of Health, Admiral Rachel Levine received backlash after accusing opponents of gender reassignment treatment for children of transphobia. The Florida Department of Health is doubling down on its opposition to gender reassignment treatment for underage patients amid a spat with Levine.
In a statement Tuesday, Florida officials reiterated experimental and irreversible medical treatments must not be provided to children and teenagers -who suffer from gender dysphoria. This comes after last week’s testimony by Levine, the first transgender cabinet official in history, who painted the Florida Health Department out to be an opponent of LGBTQ equality.
The event, called the Pride Month Town Hall, was recently live-streamed by the DNC. During that discussion, Levine promoted gender-transitioning for minors and referred to transgender treatments as an “age appropriate” and a “critical tool.” It was during that event when the admiral suggested that the Florida Health Department was against the LGBTQ community and claimed opponents of gender-transitions for minors are “targeting trans youth to score political points.”
Biden official Rachel Levine: Sex reassignment surgery and puberty blockers for KIDS is “lifesaving, medically necessary, age appropriate, and a critical tool” pic.twitter.com/OwSOA3cjj8
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 27, 2022
The department fired back at Levine while taking issue with her claims that “this makes anyone at the department an “opponent of LGBTQ equality,” also adding that her comments are “nothing more than a poorly attempted character assassination.” Levine has yet to respond to the rebuttal by Florida officials. Meanwhile, Florida’s surgeon general is recommending other states to prohibit children’s access to “disfiguring” gender surgery.