Dr. Levine would be the first openly transgender Senate-confirmed White House appointee
SAGE strongly supports the nomination of Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health, Rachel Levine, to be the United States Assistant Secretary of Health. As the President of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, a pediatrician, a leader in addressing the opioid crisis while serving as Pennsylvania’s Physician General, a professor at the Penn State College of Medicine, and until recently, the head of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 response, Dr. Levine has the experience we need to help lead our nation’s response to COVID-19 at this critical time.
Dr. Levine would be the first openly transgender Senate-confirmed White House appointee. As an LGBTQ+ aging organization, we know the importance of older transgender people having a seat at the table. We can think of no better person to give voice to the challenges that transgender older people face.
The last four years have taught us, among other things, that competent, caring, and science-based leadership must come from the top. LGBTQ+ older people, who first faced the HIV/AIDS epidemic 40 years ago, certainly know this to be true. As the United States and the rest of the world search for a light at the end of the tunnel for the COVID-19 pandemic, we are mindful that we need a qualified and compassionate person at the helm who will ensure that no people in our country – including LGBTQ+ older people – will be left behind.
We are tackling the most significant health crisis of our lifetime. There is no time to waste. We look forward to the Senate quickly voting to confirm Dr. Levine so that she can get to work for the American people.
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SAGE is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) older people. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBTQ+ older people and their caregivers. SAGE also advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBTQ+ elders, provides education and technical assistance for aging providers and LGBTQ+ community organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging, and cultural competency training through SAGECare. With staff located across the country, SAGE also coordinates SAGENet, a growing network of affiliates in the United States. Learn more at sageusa.org.
