Editorial: Rachel Levine: Right woman for the job

This weekend, one transgender woman made news in a positive splash and can continue to make history for our state.

On Saturday, Governor-elect Tom Wolf announced several new members of his cabinet, including transgender woman Rachel Levine for physician general. As physician general, Levine would be responsible for advising Wolf on medical and public health issues.

The Senate should confirm the selection, making Levine an educated force in not only overall healthcare but trans healthcare, making Pennsylvania a leader in bold, progressive political appointments. 

Having a high-ranking government official with the necessary background for the job combined with a fresh perspective on an underrepresented section of our state is beneficial to all in the Commonwealth. Through being exposed to an individual that is “different,” the general population is exposed to new discipline.

Not only that, but Levine’s qualifications are extensive. She graduated from Harvard College in 1979 and then Tulane University School of Medicine in 1983. She found a love for pediatrics and furthered her education at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Levine has been a physician at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center since 1996. She is also a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the Penn State College of Medicine.

Wolf chose Levine for her medical experience, not her identity as a transgender woman. However, her development through transitioning from male to female five years ago could prove crucial in her role as physician general. She is familiar with subjugated knowledge that could lend helpful in understanding LGBTQ individuals across the board.

A 2010 study by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force exposes the need for trans knowledge in the medical field. The study uncovered that 28 percent of respondents were subjected to harassment in medical settings, and two percent were victims of violence in doctors’ offices. Equally upsetting, up to 50 percent of the sample reported having to teach their medical providers about transgender care. 

The intersections of medical, mental and behavioral health are of the utmost importance, and are a human right, regardless of gender. Who better to start the discussion on these issues than someone who may have experienced them herself?

The Affordable Care Act helped open the door for gender reassignment by prohibiting insurance companies from discriminating against transgender people. Even so, trans citizens still face great adversity and misunderstanding whether it is usage of incorrect pronouns or questioning gender reassignment.

Questioning, “why do you need to change genders?” is a form of psychological violence. A political representative for gender minorities, like Levine, is important because she can aid those individuals with her knowledge and expertise on transitioning or receiving hormone therapy.

Having a transgender woman in a position of power and authority in the medical world will also allow the transgender community to gain the positive publicity and understanding necessary for their happiness.

Positive representation can only help the trans community. It is encouraging that news headlines brim with an encouraging story about a transgender woman being received positively for her accomplishments.

The Pennsylvania Senate must approve the physician general position. Once appointed, Levine could be the highest-ranked transgender woman in Pennsylvania government history. 

The totality of Levine’s medical accomplisments, coupled with the relevance of her insight into genderqueer healthcare, makes her the perfect dynamo for physician general, providing for both the majority and non-majority.