Chloe Cole, a detransitioner, advocates against gender transition procedures for minors, sharing her personal experiences and complications from medical interventions during a recent event with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Chloe Cole, a 21-year-old detransitioner, joined U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday to advocate for the cessation of gender transition procedures for minors, drawing from her own experiences.
During the announcement, which outlined proposed regulatory actions aimed at ending “sex-rejecting procedures” on minors, Cole expressed her concerns about the medical interventions she underwent between the ages of 12 and 16. These procedures included puberty blockers, testosterone injections, and a double mastectomy, all of which she claims have had irreversible effects on her health.
The proposed actions by HHS are part of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in January, which called for measures to protect children from what he termed “chemical and surgical mutilation.” According to an HHS official, the new policies could lead to the defunding of hospitals that provide gender transition procedures.
Reflecting on her journey, Cole stated, “As soon as gender was in the picture, none of my doctors or psychologists asked the real questions that they should have. The entire focus was on my feelings and what I wanted rather than what I really needed in that moment.” She emphasized that what she truly needed was affirmation and love for her identity as a “young and yet tomboyish little girl.”
Cole criticized her medical providers for failing to adequately inform her about the risks associated with the treatments, focusing instead on the perceived benefits of halting female puberty and promoting male secondary sexual characteristics through testosterone. “There was nothing they could say to me that would make me understand the gravity of what I was about to go through, because I was still growing up,” she explained. “I had very little experience in the world, and I simply would not be mature enough to be equipped to undergo such a life-changing procedure in every way.”
She noted that her parents never believed she was transgender but felt pressured by the medical community. “At the time when we started going through this as a family, there really were no resources that would speak to the reality of transgenderism, especially for children,” Cole said. “Most people were not aware then that this was something that was even happening in our hospital systems.”
Cole recounted that her parents were warned that if they did not allow her to transition, she would likely face severe mental health consequences, including suicide. “My legal guardians were forced to make this decision under duress,” she stated. “But even if my parents had supported transitioning medically from the start, no parent or any adult ultimately has a right to determine whether a child gets to be chemically sterilized or mutilated.”
Since undergoing these procedures, Cole has experienced numerous complications that continue to affect her quality of life. She revealed that her fertility status remains uncertain and that she will not be able to breastfeed due to her surgical removal of breast tissue. “As an adult, I am now grieving,” she shared. “On top of that, the areolar skin grafts they used in my surgery began to fail two years afterward. I must wear bandages on my chest every day.”
In 2023, Cole filed a lawsuit with the Center for American Liberty (CAL) against the hospitals involved in her care, alleging that they pushed her into what she describes as medical mutilation. Mark Trammell of CAL commented on the HHS announcement, stating that it represents a critical acknowledgment that experimental medical interventions on children experiencing gender distress have failed to meet basic safety and effectiveness standards. “It signals that medicine must return to its core ethical obligation: First, do no harm,” Trammell added. “We will continue fighting to ensure accountability for the institutions that promoted these practices and to secure justice for the children and detransitioners whose lives were forever altered.”
Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst for Fox News, expressed support for a more conservative approach to treating minors with gender dysphoria. He highlighted potential long-term effects of puberty blockers, including bone loss and fertility issues, advocating for the treatment of underlying mental health concerns before considering irreversible medical interventions. “The welfare of the child must come first,” Siegel stated, emphasizing the need for a cautious and supportive approach.
Cole concluded her remarks by urging children who are questioning their gender identity to take their time. “While there are only two sexes, there are a million different ways that you can be yourself,” she said. “God is there for you. He is the one who has created you this way, and you can seek his counsel. You can continue praying, and I think ultimately it’s connecting with your family, building your purpose in this world, and looking to the gospel and up to God.”
For further insights on this topic, Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.