Congratulations Rachel Levine

[Heather Shay]

Transwoman nominated for assistant secretary of health.

 

Congrats and best wishes to her AND us.

[Jani]

Great news!  Adding some diversity to the ranks is always good!

[Bri2020]

She's amazing.  This admin is really going to help us.  Having her so visible on a national level will hopefully help "normalize" things for us. Especially with lawmakers and policy people.  So many people have never known or interacted with transgender people that we appear like freaks to them.  Having an exceptional accomplished physician working in national policy can only help.

Since coming out and being so visible myself, I have had so many clients and friends/coworkers comment that I'm the first trans-person they've know. Of course they probably have know others just they just weren't aware.  I see the impact I've had so can only imagine what see has done for bringing us out in the public sphere.  Kat Jenner brought trans out in the public hugely but was so "sensational" about it I'm not sure it helped. Dr Levine is on a whole different level!

[KymmieL]

Hope Rachel does great things for our community.  Kat Jenner as one of the notable trans figures could do so much for the Trans community  yet refuses to do so.

 

Kymmie

[Charlize]

I have seen her speak and can only comment that she is fully professional.  I doubt she will spend much of her time involved in the struggle for trans rights directly.  Instead simply being a hard working, intelligent person who happens to be trans she will make an impact.  She is a perfect representative in my opinion.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

[Heather Shay]

Sadly I'm not a Jenner fan I see too much ego and she is so lucky to have the money to do anything she wants unlike most of us. And yes I am somewhat jealous that she has the money and it would be wonderful for her to help those of us who need funds for surgeries and therapy and things like electrolysis.

[Heather Shay]

@Charlize wonderful point. Just having an intelligent professional is good for the U.S. for everyone.

[Audrey]

2 hours ago, KymmieL said:

Kat Jenner as one of the notable trans figures could do so much for the Trans community  yet refuses to do so.

I have struggled to see Caitlyn Jenner as a role model. Nothing against her of course. I think it's the privilege aspect that makes it so difficult to relate. When I watched the "I Am Cait" series a few years ago, I couldn't help but feel how out of touch she was with the challenges facing the other transgender people she met. Maybe she has changed since 2015. Even still, I do think her high visibility has helped a little with mainstream consciousness of transgender people. Same with Elliot Page more recently. On the other hand, I feel that Rachel Levine and Sarah McBride are excellent role models. They will do important work in their positions, and raise the mainstream acceptance of transgender people in a very different way than a celebrity does.

 

I expect I will have a similar experience to what @Bri2021 describes when I come out fully at work. Many of my colleagues and clients may never have met a transgender person face-to-face, and only have whatever positive or negative impressions of the community exist in their minds. So I will be the very first one. They hold me in high regard now, and while I know things could change once I am out, I hope I can challenge any pre-existing negative attitudes by building on the positivity that they have felt about me all along.

 

Love,

~Audrey.