North Cook News

U.S. Rep. Subramanian "Raja" Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) says Americans who won't pretend cross-dressing male U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Rachel Levine is a woman are bigoted.

Krishnamoorthi, a three-term Congressman who lives in Schaumburg, made the statement on Twitter Thursday, attacking Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for commenting that Levine, who was named "Woman of the Year" by USA Today this week, is, in fact, a man.

"In case anyone still needs this cleared up: Admiral Rachel L. Levine, MD is a woman," Krishnamoorthi wrote. "Ken Paxton is a transphobic bigot and bully."

Levine, 63, was married to a woman for 23 years and had two children before changing his name from Richard to Rachel in 2011. Since, he has dressed in female clothes, worn make-up and earrings and his hair in a female style.

President Joe Biden named Levine U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health in Feb. 2021. 

At his U.S. Senate confirmation hearing, Levine drew criticism for his advocacy for laws allowing children to get so-called "sex change" surgery, including chemical castration. Levine also supports allowing children to take "puberty blockers," which he says "ensures... that they never go through the wrong puberty."

After the hearing, Krishnamoorthi similarly defended Levine and his positions, stating he "showed remarkable grace and courage in facing down the bigoted ramblings" of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who asked Levine to explain why he believed "minors are capable of making such a life-changing decisions as changing one's sex."

A pediatrician, Levine worked at Penn State Hershey Medical Center from 1993 until 2015, when he was named Pennsylvania's Physician General by Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf. Two years later, Wolf named him state Secretary of Health, where he drew national attention for his daily briefings on COVID-19.

Krishnamoorthi, 48, was first elected to represent the Illinois' 8th Congressional District in Nov. 2016, winning 58 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Pete DiCianni of Elmhurst. He was re-elected in 2018 with 66 percent of the vote and in 2020 with 71 percent.

A former staff member for President Barack Obama and a Peoria native, he previously ran unsuccessfully for the Illinois' 8th seat in the 2012 Democratic primary. He also lost a Democratic primary in 2010 for Illinois Comptroller. Krishnamoorthi is a 1995 Princeton University graduate and a 2000 graduate of Harvard Law School.