Donald Trump’s nominee for assistant secretary of health – a position held by transgender Adm. Rachel Levine during the Biden administration – believes trans youth should undergo “corrective” or “pastoral” care to treat gender dysphoria rather than gender-affirming care.

“They want to affirm what they think in their head. I think it’s damaging. I think it’s wrong,” 61-year-old Alabama urologist and men’s sexual health expert Dr. Brian Christine told Alabama’s Morning News in 2023. “The transgender agenda of the left is using these little girls and little boys as pawns.”

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Christine has also pushed pandemic-related conspiracy theories and, since his nomination, has desperately tried to cover up that he was once open to treating transgender men.

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A 2017 issue of the LGBTQ+ magazine Peach ATL contains a full-page ad for Christine’s practice, which declares, “Gay, Cis, Trans… A man’s sexual health concerns require treatment by a recognized Expert… No prejudice or bias, just outstanding care.” An investigation by the Washington Post also found that his website bio used to say he treated erectile dysfunction in those who “have undergone female-to-male gender reassignment.”

Yet, in a statement released by the White House, Christine claimed, “I have never treated transgender ‘men’ for sexual dysfunction, either with medication or surgery. I have never performed a surgical ‘transition’ of a man or woman. I have never prescribed hormones to a patient with gender dysphoria or to aid in ‘transition.’”

“I am not a specialist in transgender care,” the statement continued. “I do not offer treatment to patients diagnosed with gender dysphoria. I actively, as a urologic expert, supported the Alabama legislature’s efforts to pass into law prohibitions against the chemical and surgical manipulation of children and adolescents for the purpose of ‘gender affirming care.’”

Lesa Bowman, who is listed as a patient liaison in the magazine ad, also denied to the Post that Christine ever treated trans men.

Christine has also long touted his Catholic faith as driving his life and medical approach. He also reportedly rallied against abortion rights outside the Supreme Court during the case that overturned Roe. V. Wade.

Reports from those who know Christine add to the confusion about what he believes and who he is.

Mike Bolin, who beat Christine in the race for Jefferson County commissioner in 2023, told the Post he’s a “strong conservative” but won’t be a “rabble-rouser.”

“He’s far too bright and far too nice to be like that,” Bolin said.

“He’s conservative in his political views, but he’s practiced a form of urology where he deals with people from all different genders and ideologies on their own sexual orientation,” said friend, physician, and former patient Michael Koslin. “He’s very open in how he treats people.”

If Christine is confirmed, he will fill the vacancy left by Adm. Levine, the first out trans official confirmed by the U.S. Senate and the highest-ranking out trans federal official. In October 2021, Levine also became the first trans four-star officer across all uniformed service branches when she was sworn in as a four-star admiral. She was also confirmed three times by the GOP-controlled state senate during her tenure at Pennsylvania’s Department of Health.

Throughout her tenure, Levine was a strong advocate for the rights of trans and intersex youth. In response to this support, Christine posted in 2023 that “Masculinity is being attacked.”

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