Following the appointment of Roger Severino as head of OCR many human rights organizations have expressed concern over due to the views he views regarding transgender people and same-sex marriages.
Mr Severino has written a number of reports in which he has expressed his opposition to LGBT rights, pro-LGBT legislation and Planned Parenthood.
JoDee Winterhof, Senior Vice President of policy and political affairs at the Human Rights Campaign highlighted the concerns stating ‘There isn’t a more dangerous person to lead HHSGov’s Office for Civil Rights than LGBTQ opponent Roger Severino.”
Wade Henderson, President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Right, also expressed worry about the appoint saying: “The Office for Civil Rights at HHS is essential to ensuring that all people can lead healthy lives, free of discriminatory barriers. Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which bans discrimination based on race, sex, disability and age in health programs and activities, is key to achieving this goal. Henderson went on to say, “Strong and experienced leadership at OCR committed to fully enforcing Section 1557 is therefore critical. Mr. Severino is not that leader.”
With Severino at the helm of the organization OCR is likely to be taken in a different direction than it was under the previous directorship of Jocelyn Samuels.