Rand Paul launched into an attack on transgender people and health practices at the hearing to confirm Joe Biden’s nominee for assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Rachel Levine, a former Pennsylvania health official who is transgender herself. If approved, Levine would be the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate.
Paul addressed Levin with concerns over transgender surgical treatments, which he characterized as “genital mutilation.”
American culture is down normalizing the idea that minors can be given hormones
Replied Levine: “Transgender medicine is a very complex and nuanced field with robust research and standards of care that have been developed. If I’m fortunate enough to be confirmed, I will look forward to working with you and your office and coming to your office to discuss the particulars of the standards of care for transgender medicine.”
The Hill notes: “The World Professional Association for Transgender Health says genital surgery should not be carried out until patients reach adulthood. In 2015, Levine said during a public event that surgical treatment is not recommended before age 18.”
Senator Patty Murray responded to Paul later in the hearing: “It is really critical to me that our nominees be treated with respect and that our questions focus on their qualifications and the work ahead of us, rather than ideological and harmful misrepresentations like those we heard from Senator Paul earlier.”
Paul also objected to the use of hormone treatments.
The Daily Beast reports: “The LGBTQ Victory Institute, which works to elevate LGBTQ people in politics and government, called Paul’s remarks deeply offensive. ‘His remarks echo the talking points of the same organizations who said gay men deserved AIDS and that LGBTQ people should be criminalized,’ Ruben Gonzales, the group’s executive director, said in a statement. ‘He explicitly attacked vulnerable trans youth for his own perceived political gain and it was a disgrace.'”
