Photo of Dr. Rachel Levine from www.health.pa.gov

Today is a proud day for LGBT Pennsylvanians.

The Pennsylvania Senate’s bipartisan support for an impeccably-qualified Secretary of Health is good news on its own. Secretary Levine was the perfect nominee for Secretary of Health because of her incredible qualifications, her vast expertise, and her stellar record of working to eliminate health disparities and promote a high quality of health for all Pennsylvanians. As a transgender woman, Secretary Levine’s confirmation also makes history. Pennsylvania has never before had a transgender person serving in a secretariat position in our state government. 

Her record as Pennsylvania’s Physician General provides us with insight into the type of Secretary of Health that Secretary Levine will be: She will be clear in her views that all people deserve a high-quality of health. She will be rigorous in promoting science-based approaches to the improvement of public health. She will be resolved to find leading-edge solutions to achieve these goals. 

While the good news is that Pennsylvania has a Secretary of Health who we can be sure is working hard to promote a high-quality of health for all Pennsylvanians we can also be sure that there is much work ahead. LGBT people in Pennsylvania experience significant health disparities, especially with regard to tobacco, cancer, HIV, and access to care. The LGBT patient population in Pennsylvania faces numerous barriers to care that prevent health equity from being achieved. 

Information Provided By:
Adrian Shanker
Executive Director
Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center
 

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