Wake Up Dead Name

On February 13, 2021, the person President Joe Biden nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of Health was Rachel Levine.

On March 24,2021, the person the U.S. Senate voted to confirm to that position was Rachel Levine.

On October 19, 2021, the person who was commissioned as a four-star admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps was Rachel Levine.  

The official portrait of the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services from 2021 to 2025 was Rachel Levine.

The HHS Official Portrait of 
Admiral Rachel Levine

Until last week.

As of December 5, 2025, someone in the Trump administration decided that name was wrong.

I should note that Rachel Levine is a transgender woman. 

So the name under Rachel Levine's portrait is no longer Rachel Levine but her birth name, her dead name.  

It appears knives are out for some petty retribution at the Department of Health and Human Services to wake up Rachel Levine's dead name.

HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon had this to say: "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."

Levine said she is "not going to comment on this type of petty action."

Well, that is very gracious of Admiral Rachel Levine.

I am under no compunction to be gracious.

This is total fucking goddam bullshit! 

Among the "harmful policies" under Levine included addressing the health needs of LGBTQ youth such as making sure they didn't kill themselves.  If you think helping people NOT commit suicide is a "harmful policy", that puts you on a fast track to hell.

Satan: "Goody! Another victim for my hell pits and WHAT? You were PRO-suicide?? Jesus Christ! What is WRONG with you?!? Can we not get a better class of sinners down here than these Trump cultists?" 

But this is also another demonstration of Trump cultists willingness to re-write history.  Whatever issue the current HHS leadership may express over so called "harmful policies", the name of the person who was nominated, the name of the person who was confirmed, the name of the person who served was Rachel Levine. 

When this damnable existence under the Trump administration is over and if our nation and our government manages to survive, I hope someone remembers that the name of the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services from 2021 to 2025 was Rachel Levine. 

And fixes her portrait with her correct name! 

SIDE NOTE:  This not the only anti-transgender bullshit going on in Washington. Sarah McBride, the transgender Congresswoman from Delaware has to put up with this nonsense from Republicans in the House of Representatives:

"The chair recognizes the gentleman from Delaware."

"I wish to address the bill introduced by the Congressman from Delaware."

And there's also the ban on McBride from using the ladies' restroom in the Capitol building.  

McBride handles these petty slights with grace and aplomb. She chooses on focusing on representing her constiuents in Delaware and not on these partisan games to ostracize her.

Good on Rep. McBride for dealing with these insults with dignity.

Me, I gave up on dignity years ago.

FUCK YOU, Republicans in the House of Representatives and your despicable, deplorable actions based on fear and ignorance. McBride is a far better person that any of you who traffic in hatred and bigotry! 

And for good measure...

FUCK YOU, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon!

You know what? While I'm at it...

FUCK YOU, Donald J. Trump!