December 10, 2025

Assistant Health Secretary Levine is gone, but not forgotten. Well, maybe "she" is. New portraits in the hallway of the Humphrey Building in D.C., have photos of former leaders in the Department of Health and Human Services displayed. It is an inscription on one of the photos that is causing NPR to have the vapors.

Rachel Levine used to be Richard Levine. He was a father and a husband, and he was called Richard. Therefore, it's not wrong to have the inscription below his/her photo read "Richard Levine." Except you know it is. Because we're told you're not allowed to do that. When someone thinks they are a woman, even though they look like a man, you're not supposed to notice, or say anything. 

"The current leadership of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health changed Admiral Levine's photo to remover his/her current legal name, and use a prior name," said Adrian Shanker, who worked with Levine. He called the move "an act of bigotry against her."

Of course he would. And NPR agrees. Apparently you should never call a trans person by their old name. It's called "deadnaming," and you are forbidden to do it. They probably won't let you listen to NPR anymore if you do. But by the way, who do you think decided to do this? And also, isn't Trump funny?

Hang tough/