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Allen West Attacks PA’s Physician General

Seemingly out of nowhere, former Florida Congressman Allen West launched a personal attack against Pennsylvania’s Physician General Rachel Levine.

West posted the following tweet yesterday afternoon:

The link goes to an article on West’s website by Derrick Wilburn. Wilburn uses Dr. Levine as an example in his piece criticizing the Justice Department’s lawsuit against North Carolina over its controversial bathroom law.

Suffice to say, Wilburn was not respectful of Dr. Levine in this post, a small portion of which is included below:

“Pictured here is Dr. Richard Levine, the state of Pennsylvania’s current Physician General. Every day, Dr. Levine awakens, does his hair, puts on makeup, lipstick, a dress or pantsuit and goes to work. Dr. Levine (Rachel as s/he now prefers) ‘identifies’ as a woman.”

Dr. Levine was unanimously confirmed by the PA State Senate last year (Wilburn at one point erroneous writes that she was approved by Maryland’s upper legislative chamber).

She is the highest serving transgender government official in Pennsylvania history.  

UPDATE: State Rep. Brian Sims responded to Allen West in a Facebook post.

“Allen West, a defunct Tea Partier from Florida and active bigot, vilely attacked my close friend, Pennsylvania’s Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine, in an attempt to get noticed during the current legal battle over discriminatory laws between the Department of Justice and the state of North Carolina,” Sims writes. “Though West has fallen to near obscurity, it appears he fills his days spouting wildly inaccurate and hateful tirades on issues he doesn’t understand and people he doesn’t know.”

“LGBT rights are under assault across the nation. That’s why it’s critical we are united and call out bigotry and hate when it occurs. It is imperative that we pass legislation like the Pennsylvania Fairness Act that prohibits LGBT discrimination. Join me today in condemning Allen West’s bigotry and demanding our elected officials on the state and federal levels protect the LGBT community.”

UPDATE 2: Equality Pennsylvania Executive Director Ted Martin’s sent PoliticsPA the following response:

“Dr. Rachel Levine is an exceptional public servant and one of the people Pennsylvanians are lucky to have. She is also my friend and I have long admired how she has built her career by serving at-risk youth with caring, compassion and dedication. Governor Wolf recognized these fine qualities too when he nominated her to be the Pennsylvania Physician General. It was no surprise to me that the Pennsylvania Senate in turn recognized her redoubtable qualifications by unanimously confirming her, 49-0. It was a personal highlight of my career sitting with Rachel in the Senate Public Gallery watching that vote take place. To malign and disrespect her character is offensive and just plain wrong. It demeans every public servant, it cheapens the lives of transgender people and it truly damages public discourse. Those doing it should be ashamed. I speak for myself and the organization that I work for when I say we have Dr. Levine’s back. And to every transgender Pennsylvanian, know that we will do everything in our power to have your backs too. It is our honor to call you friends, allies and brothers and sisters.

Transgender people are part of our everyday lives: they are our coworkers, friends, and family members. Everyone, including transgender people, deserves to be treated with the same dignity and respect in the workplace, and we all deserve to be treated equally under the law. Any allegation that Dr. Levine believes otherwise is a disingenuous smear against an accomplished public servant that works every day to protect the livelihood of all Pennsylvanians.”

31 Responses

  8. This is the price the “Party of Women” says that girls must pay for progress.

  10. I understand the concern on the right. And The difficulty the left has is explaining why the leader of the LGBT group out of North Carolina is a convicted child molester.

  11. I’m not a woman but can say that if I were and Dr. Levine walked in, you what I would do? Mind my own damn business and let Dr. Levine conduct her own. There is no reason whatsoever to fear a transgender person coming into the bathroom of their newly chosen gender. As a man who has used public restrooms-as we all have many points in our lives(male or female)-I have no doubt that a transgender man has walked in but didn’t know it. This has been going on long before people started bitching about where someone can take a piss or dump. If you gotta go you gotta go. Science means nothing to cons like West who should know about gender dysphoria and that being transgender is biological and not a choice. But hate and bigotry always trump logic and reason with conservatives. And their fear over sexual predators coming in and assaulting people or children is irrational and illogical. Pervs don’t care what a bathroom is designated for, they will go in anyway and harm whoever their target is. In 2016 it boggles my mind as how something so unimportant as to where you piss in public has caused such an uproar. Society takes two steps forward and then a group of idiots wants to pull us ten steps back.

  12. Personally, I find Dr. Levine to be professional and competent in her capacity as Physician General. Personal attacks like this are unwarranted. If the situation were reversed and Dr. Levine was born a woman and trans-gendered to be a man, I would not care what stall she used.

  13. Protecting children is evil now? You may want to read the Bible for context instead of just punchlines.

  14. Maggie: I think your bigoted morals are what’s wrong with Pennsylvania. Dr. Levine is without question very qualified at her job, and won UNANIMOUS approval by the state senate. That’s both Republicans and Democrats. Evil close-minded bigotry from holier-than-though uppity folk like you claiming you know what’s better for everyone else (usually to STFU and hide in the closet) are discriminatory, mean-spirited, bullying and downright un-Christian. You should meditate on your religious beliefs before spouting such hatred toward someone else. Remember, “judge not, lest you be judged” and “love thy neighbor as yourself.” You fail both counts.

  15. Many of these dudes are very nice. One even helped wash my daughter’s hands.

  16. This is sick, shameful bigotry and bullying. Thankfully, times are changing, and among younger voters especially, being supportive and inclusive of transgender people is a winning issue. Imagine someone you loved was transgender. Every human being deserves to have their civil rights upheld. It’s insane to me how obsessed the GOP is becoming with something that is a non issue. More GOP legislators have had questionable incidents in bathrooms. There isn’t a single recorded story of any actual problem with people using the bathroom that best fits their gender identity. It’s blatant and disgusting fear mongering by a party that trades in the currency of hate. (Trump as the key outcome of years of building towards that.)

  17. If she walked in, my response would be, “Lady, I think you have the wrong restroom.” And when she replied and told me why she had to use the men’s, my response would be, “Oh well that’s stupid,” and that’s where I would stop caring. I have been in enough situations where women *had* to use the men’s, because the women’s was full and they had to go RFN. I just don’t think many men actually care who uses the facilities.

    That said, I would probably pause if I noticed her using the urinal, but why would I say anything? There is a “guy code” about talking at the urinals: to whit, “Don’t.” (That said, talking while taking a leak outdoors seems to be perfectly fine. Go figure.)

    North Carolina seems to be awfully worried about people have in their pants.

  18. Maggie G is right! The Republican Senate should have stopped this nomination from sneaking through. Levine is not the example we want to hold up to our kids. Society has lost its way and it will take a rebelious election like Trump’s, to turn disgusting examples of political correctness around.

  19. 1) Rachel Levine, and others like him are mentally ill. He should have never been confirmed.
    2) Do not for one second doubt he is not pushing his perverse agenda in Pennsylvania.
    3) Let me know how you feel when your impressionsble 10 or 12 year old comes home from school all excited and impressed that Levine just addressed their school assembly, and if not Levine, then one of his sanctioned speakers delivering the gay/transgender party line.
    4) It is this kind of SICK morals and downfall of societal norms that has driven people to Trump.
    5) As to Simms, his ego is etting new heights!

  20. Unsanctioned R2 says:
    May 12, 2016 at 9:36 am
    Dicki, I noticed what you wrote about having a IP address and the fact that you reported it to a Government Agency. Clearly, you have no information that would tie this person to your frivolous allegation. Since this person has been a champion of the rights of mentally handicapped children and you have spent your time ridiculing them in many ways under many names I thought it only right to explore a complaint against you with the EEOC. Here’s the applicable section.
    Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
    This law makes it illegal to discriminate against a qualified person with a disability in the private sector and in state and local governments. The law also makes it illegal to retaliate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. The law also requires that employers reasonably accommodate the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or employee, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the employer’s business.
    You retaliated by your complaint against a person who complained about discrimination. Employment is not an issue in this section just the statement is enough.
    Dicki that’s you. Remember all those R words statements made by you. They were captured along with a program that captures IP addresses (which come back to you) well. Dicki, mommy is gonna be mad at you. Maybe Philly Lawyer can help unless he’s being investigated for practicing law without a license.
    You be well Dicki. Oh this whole thing came from one of those meetings you claim we never had.Maybe we’ll read about you soon. So long funny man

  21. Bigotry plain and simple. This woman has bothered no one and does not deserve personal attacks.

  23. Pennsylvania is lucky to have such a capable and accomplished Physician General as Dr. Levine – she has done an excellent job and continues to be an inspiration to many.

    Allen West, on the other hand, is a miserable hack and a charlatan who was soundly beaten despite spending the better part of $2 million. He should go quietly into retirement instead of inflicting his bigotry on the masses.

  24. I encountered Dr. Levine in a womens’ restroom once and it didn’t bother me in the least.

  25. Since I’ve met Dr. Levine, before, I’d probably give her a nod and go back to whatever I was doing. The GOP really needs to stop worrying about what’s happening in women’s restrooms around the country and stop demonizing people.

  26. Dr. Rachel Levine is an intelligent, accomplished physician, a kind and caring person with a great sense of humor and welcoming demeanor. She is very approachable and respectful of others, just as she is highly respected by those who know her and work with her.

    I don’t know WHAT Allen West is but he none of the above for certain.

    As for aligning him with conservatives,DON’T. I doubt that the far left, far right or everyone in between would claim Allen West.

  27. Anyone who meets Dr. Levine knows they’re lucky to have someone so capable in public service.

  28. So, is Allen West in favor of separate bathrooms? Or maybe even separate water fountains? The southern states do have some experience with that.

  29. Alan West is a hack and con artist for the alt-right.

    Also, every time the GOP talks about this kind of stupid stuff is time the Democrats aren’t defending their failed economic policies, disastrous lack of concern for entitlement reform or lack of ideas to actually fix poverty programs instead of just throwing more money at them.

  30. While the article was harsh, I was floored by the types of comments that Allen West’s website (predictably) draws. I am forever glad that he infests Florida, and not Pennsylvania.

  31. All these people obsessed with public bathroom scenarios should be given mental health evaluations!!

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