Trump Administration Deadnames Transgender Former HHS Officer Rachel Levine in Official Portrait

It is no news that ever since the President Donald Trump's administration has signed in, transgenders have seemed to lost their rights, with their research being <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/cdc-removes-gender-and-equity-references-after-president-trumps-executive-orders-article-151153486" data-type="tilCustomLink">removed</a>, <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/trump-administration-cuts-lgbtq-health-research-grants-what-it-means-article-151299094" data-type="tilCustomLink">defunded</a>, and now the administration has changed the name of transgender health leader on her official portrait. The new name used is her head name. 

The person in question is Adm. <span>Rachel Levine</span>, who made history in 2021 when she was sworn in as the assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden. Levin was nation's highest ranking and openly transgender federal official. Her portrait hands in the HHS office, along with pictures of other federal officials who have led the US Public Health Corps. However, recently, especially after the US government went on a shutdown, HHS has removed Levine's name from her portrait and replaced it with her dead name, reported NPR. 

As per the GLAAD, formerly Gay &amp; Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, a major LGBTQ media advocacy organization, the act of revealing or using a transgender person's birth name without their permission is known as deadnaming. 

<h2>What Does Levine Say On The Act Of Deadnaming Her?</h2>

Adrian Shanker, a former deputy assistant secretary for health policy in the Biden administration and Levine's current spokesperson told the NPR that this act is of "bigotry against her". 

“During the federal shutdown, the current leadership of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health changed Admiral Levine's photo to remove her current legal name and use a prior name," Shanker told the outlet.

As per Levine, it was a “great honor to serve in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.” In a statement to The Independent, she said, "My focus has been and continues to be on public health and health equity. I am not going to comment on this type of petty action.”

While the HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told that the agency's priority "is ensuring that the information presented internally and externally by HHS reflects gold standard science. We remain committed to reversing harmful policies enacted by Levine and ensuring that biological reality guides our approach to public health," in a statement to NPR. 

<h2>Trump Administration Against Transgender</h2>

Over the last year, Trump administration has rolled back many rights of transgender people. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/new-hhs-guidelines-updates-the-definitions-of-male-and-female-ignores-gender-identity-how-it-could-impact-healthcare-in-america-article-151206850" data-type="tilCustomLink">released new definitions</a> for 'sex,' 'man,' and 'woman', an action that has provoked widespread discussion in health, scientific and policy communities. While proponents believe the revisions bring back biological truth, opponents caution that they will weaken science and harm healthcare policies. On February 19, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released new federal guidelines that strictly define sex as an unchanging biological category based on reproductive function. The memo claims that sex is genetically determined at birth and does not change throughout life, making it clear that biological sex cannot be altered by medical treatment or self-identification.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/department-of-health-and-human-services-updates-its-guidance-for-gender-to-comply-with-trumps-executive-orders-article-151197388" data-type="tilCustomLink">Department of Health And Human Services Updates Its Guidance For Gender To Comply With Trump's Executive Orders</a>

The government of the United States abruptly<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/trump-administration-cuts-lgbtq-health-research-grants-what-it-means-article-151299094" data-type="tilCustomLink"> terminated at least 68 grants </a> which were awarded to 46 institutions. This was a total of $40 million in funding. These grants were supporting research which was related to LGBTQ health, and included HIV prevention, youth suicide, cancer and bone health. While some of these funds have already been used, at least $1.36 million was withdrawn from future support. This figure is also an undercount, as estimates were available only for a portion of the cancelled grants.

A new law in<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/south-dakota-excludes-trans-students-from-using-school-washrooms-health-concerns-loom-over-article-151290830" data-type="tilCustomLink"> South Dakota has restricted transgender people's use</a> of communal facilities in public schools and state-owned buildings. This was implemented from July 1 2025.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/cdc-removes-gender-and-equity-references-after-president-trumps-executive-orders-article-151153486" data-type="tilCustomLink"> retracted references to transgender people</a>, gender identity, and equity from its website. This change followed the executive order and a directive from the Federal Office of Personnel Management instructing agencies to eliminate taxpayer-funded programs reflecting "gender ideology". The guidelines issues on Wednesday asked to end "all agency programs that use taxpayer money to promote or reflect gender ideology", and was signed by President Trump.

<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/trumps-top-health-nominee-wants-corrective-care-for-trans-people-article-151413441" data-type="tilCustomLink">Brian Christine</a>, urologist from Alabama, and President Trump's top pick for assistant secretary for health, a position which was previously held by <span>Dr Rachel Levine</span>, publicly advocated for "corrective care" for transgender youth and questioned mainstream narratives around the pandemic.

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It is no news that ever since the President Donald Trump's administration has signed in, transgenders have seemed to lost their rights, with their research being removed, defunded, and now the administration has changed the name of transgender health leader on her official portrait. The new name used is her head name. The person in question is Adm. Rachel Levine, who made history in 2021 when she was sworn in as the assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services under former President Joe Biden. Levin was nation's highest ranking and openly transgender federal official. Her portrait hands in the HHS office, along with pictures of other federal officials who have led the US Public Health Corps. However, recently, especially after the US government went on a shutdown, HHS has removed Levine's name from her portrait and replaced it with her dead name, reported NPR. As per the GLAAD, formerly Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, a major LGBTQ media advocacy organization, the act of revealing or using a transgender person's birth name without their permission is known as deadnaming. What Does Levine Say On The Act Of Deadnaming Her?Adrian Shanker, a former deputy assistant secretary for health policy in the Biden administration and Levine's current spokesperson told the NPR that this act is of "bigotry against her". “During the federal shutdown, the current leadership of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health changed Admiral Levine's photo to remove her current legal name and use a prior name," Shanker told the outlet.As per Levine, it was a “great honor to serve in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.” In a statement to The Independent, she said, "My focus has been and continues to be on public health and health equity. I am not going to comment on this type of petty action.”While the HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told that the agency's priority "is ensuring that the information presented internally and externally by HHS reflects gold standard science. We remain committed to reversing harmful policies enacted by Levine and ensuring that biological reality guides our approach to public health," in a statement to NPR. Trump Administration Against TransgenderOver the last year, Trump administration has rolled back many rights of transgender people. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new definitions for 'sex,' 'man,' and 'woman', an action that has provoked widespread discussion in health, scientific and policy communities. While proponents believe the revisions bring back biological truth, opponents caution that they will weaken science and harm healthcare policies. On February 19, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released new federal guidelines that strictly define sex as an unchanging biological category based on reproductive function. The memo claims that sex is genetically determined at birth and does not change throughout life, making it clear that biological sex cannot be altered by medical treatment or self-identification.Also Read: Department of Health And Human Services Updates Its Guidance For Gender To Comply With Trump's Executive OrdersThe government of the United States abruptly terminated at least 68 grants  which were awarded to 46 institutions. This was a total of $40 million in funding. These grants were supporting research which was related to LGBTQ health, and included HIV prevention, youth suicide, cancer and bone health. While some of these funds have already been used, at least $1.36 million was withdrawn from future support. This figure is also an undercount, as estimates were available only for a portion of the cancelled grants.A new law in South Dakota has restricted transgender people's use of communal facilities in public schools and state-owned buildings. This was implemented from July 1 2025.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) retracted references to transgender people, gender identity, and equity from its website. This change followed the executive order and a directive from the Federal Office of Personnel Management instructing agencies to eliminate taxpayer-funded programs reflecting "gender ideology". The guidelines issues on Wednesday asked to end "all agency programs that use taxpayer money to promote or reflect gender ideology", and was signed by President Trump.Brian Christine, urologist from Alabama, and President Trump's top pick for assistant secretary for health, a position which was previously held by Dr Rachel Levine, publicly advocated for "corrective care" for transgender youth and questioned mainstream narratives around the pandemic.