DETROIT — The first openly lesbian federal judge in the U.S. 6th Circuit was sworn in Tuesday by Chief Judge Gerald Rosen of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Judith Levy 55, was flanked by family, friends, colleagues and other well-wishers as she was installed as a federal judge.
Levy was an assistant U.S. attorney before she was nominated to the federal bench last year by President Barack Obama. A former civil rights attorney, Levy also was the head of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights division.
Speaking about her experience when she came out as a lesbian in 1977, Levy remarked, “When I opened that closet door, other doors closed. But our country is changing and the fact that this door has opened for me means that it is open for many others. I am so grateful.”
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Levy was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a unanimous vote last week.