Dr. Rachel Levine becomes nation’s first openly transgender physician general

Once described by political pundit and famed Clintonista James Carville as “Pennsylvania is Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with Alabama in between,” Pennsylvania has made U.S. history by nominating and confirming – by a 49-0 vote – Dr. Rachel Levine to become the nation’s first openly transgender state physician general. Christian Alexandersen, writing on PennLive.com, announced yesterday that, “Pennsylvania has a new physician general. And the decision to confirm Dr. Rachel Levine, a transgender woman, has made history. The Pennsylvania Senate voted 49-0 Tuesday to confirm Levine as the state’s physician general — making her the highest ranked out transgender person ever to serve in Pennsylvania government. “I am very excited and I am thrilled to be confirmed by the Senate,” Levine said. “Very excited.”

The post was completely apolitical. Dr. Levine, Alexandersen reports that “Levine is a graduate of Harvard College and Tulane University School of Medicine. She received pediatrics training at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, where she practiced from 1988 to 1993. Later, Levine said she became interested in the intersection of medical, mental and behavioral. Most recently, Levine served as the chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine and Eating Disorders and vice chairwoman for Clinical Affairs for the Department of Pediatrics at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.”

But let it not be lost either the significance of her accomplishment. Ted Martin, executive director of Equality Pennsylvania, noting the obvious, stated, “We can’t miss the fact that it’s incredibly historic. A qualified person and a person from the [LGBT] community marrying up in one person is a remarkable step forward. I think it’s good for everyone.”

For her part, Levine is ecstatic. “I am very pleased to serve as a mentor and a role model for LGBT individuals.

Joanne Carroll, president of TransCentral PA and a transwoman and a friend of Dr. Levine’s noted, “It goes to show that we’re normal people trying to live a life that makes sense for us and, hopefully, makes sense for other people,” Carroll said.