Biden Govt swears in Dr Rachel Levine as first openly transgender 4-star admiral

WASHINGTON-(MaraviPost)-The Joe Biden’s administration on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 swore in Assistant Health Secretary, Dr. Rachel Levine as the first openly transgender four-star officer in the uniformed services of the United States.

She is the first female four-star admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that she is the highest ranking official in the commissioned corps and will lead 6,000 Public Health Service officers.

The former Pennsylvania health secretary became the nation’s highest-ranking openly transgender official in March after being nominated by President Biden.

HHS said in a press release that the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is one of eight uniformed services – “and the only one dedicated solely to protecting, promoting and advancing America’s public health” by providing health care to “underserved and vulnerable populations or advancing practice, policy or research.”

The department described Levine’s swearing-in as a “major step forward” in creating “a more inclusive society.”

“This is a momentous occasion and I am pleased to take this role for the impact I can make, and for the historic nature of what it symbolizes,” Levine said in the press release. 

“May this appointment be the first of many like it as we create a more inclusive future.”

Source: www.expressiveinfo.com

Lloyd M’bwana

I’m a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)’s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK’s ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.