Biden taps Rachel Levine to become 1st openly transgender federal official confirmed by the Senate

Dr. Rachel Levine
(Image credit: Matt Slocum / ASSOCIATED PRESS)

President-elect Joe Biden has announced a historic pick for assistant health secretary.

Biden said Tuesday he'll nominate Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania's secretary of health, to serve as assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services. This makes her "poised to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate," Biden's transition noted in a statement.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.