LGBTQI+ Advocates Oppose RFK Jr. Nomination to HHS Secretary 

Washington, D.C. [Washington, D.C.] – Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE), in partnership with interACT and a coalition of allied organizations, today sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee strongly opposing the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). 
 
"RFK Jr.’s extensive history of spreading conspiracy theories, rejecting science, and advancing dangerous disinformation makes him categorically unfit to lead the nation’s top public health agency," said Sinead Murano-Kinney, Health Policy Analyst at A4TE. "This nomination, put forward by President Trump, represents a dire threat to public health and equity, particularly for LGBTQI+ communities across the country. The health and safety of millions, including LGBTQI+ people and those living with chronic conditions, would be imperiled under his leadership." 

In the letter, the coalition points out that the HHS Secretary has a responsibility to advance evidence-based, equitable policies to protect the health of all people. However, RFK Jr. has consistently dismissed scientific consensus, promoting unfounded claims that threaten access to critical healthcare. His public record demonstrates a dangerous disregard for the well-being of vulnerable populations, including trans people, people living with HIV, and low-income families relying on programs like Medicaid. 

The letter goes on to identify four of the coalition's key concerns: 

• Misinformation on LGBTQI+ Healthcare: RFK Jr. has perpetuated false claims about evidence-based care for trans youth, referring to transition-related medications inaccurately as "castration drugs." Such misinformation ignores decades of medical research and expert consensus affirming the safety and necessity of these treatments in reducing suicidality and improving mental health outcomes for trans youth. 
• Rejection of HIV Science: RFK Jr. has openly questioned the well-established link between HIV and AIDS, risking funding cuts for lifesaving HIV-related research and care at a time when access to these services is already under attack. 
• Opposition to Vaccines: As founder of Children’s Health Defense, RFK Jr. has propagated baseless claims about vaccines, undermining public trust in critical immunizations like HPV and Mpox vaccines, which are vital to LGBTQI+ health. 
• Hostility Toward Medicaid and Medicare: RFK Jr.’s extremist positions on healthcare access could jeopardize coverage for millions of low-income individuals, including trans and intersex people, who disproportionately rely on Medicaid for essential care. 

"RFK Jr.'s dismissal of scientific facts and LGBTQI+ patients’ needs isn’t just troubling; it’s dangerous," said Sylvan Fraser Anthony, Legal and Policy Director of interACT. "To see him nominated just days after HHS released its landmark report on advancing intersex health equity is a bitter irony that underscores what is at stake for our communities. We deserve leaders who will prioritize public health, which includes defending bodily autonomy for trans and intersex young people – not dismantle it with bias-based and conspiracy-driven policymaking." 

The coalition also notes RFK Jr.’s racist and ableist rhetoric in the letter, including his debunked claims suggesting that vaccines cause autism and assertions that COVID-19 was engineered to target specific ethnic groups. 

"We urge the Senate to reject this nomination and protect the health and dignity of all people," Murano-Kinney said. "RFK Jr.’s appointment would be a step backward for public health, equity, and scientific progress. The stakes are too high to allow such reckless endangerment." 

This nomination comes amid President Trump’s broader efforts to erode LGBTQI+ rights and protections, including executive orders denying the existence of trans, nonbinary, and intersex people. 



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