Medical victim Chloe Cole was at the center of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Thursday announcement of proposed regulatory actions to end "sex-rejecting procedures" on minors.
The HHS' proposed regulatory actions are part of President Donald Trump's January executive order calling on the department to protect children from "chemical and surgical mutilation."
The department is rolling out a series of policy updates and regulatory actions that would effectively defund hospitals that provide gender transition procedures, according to an HHS official.
NUMBER OF YOUNG ADULTS IDENTIFYING AS TRANSGENDER PLUNGES BY NEARLY HALF IN TWO YEARS
Cole, now 21 years old, went through the process of medical transition from female to male between the ages of 12 and 16.
The California native took to the stage alongside HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other officials to advocate for the protection of children.
Cole told Fox News Digital that the puberty blockers, testosterone injections and double mastectomy she underwent have irreversibly and permanently affected her health.
"As soon as gender was in the picture, none of my doctors or psychologists asked the real questions that they should have," said Cole. "The entire focus was on my feelings and what I wanted rather than what I really needed in that moment."
What she needed, Cole said, was to be loved and affirmed of the way God created her — "as a young and yet tomboyish little girl."
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She said her doctors neglected to share risks, only touting the "benefits" of stopping female puberty and using testosterone to promote body hair growth, musculature and different fat distribution.
"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," said Cole. "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."
Cole noted that her parents never thought she was transgender, but felt like the odds were stacked against them.
"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, because most people were not aware then that this was something that was even happening in our hospital systems," she said.
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Cole said her parents were warned that if they did not allow her to transition, she would likely commit suicide.
"My legal guardians were forced to make this decision under duress," she shared in a previous statement. "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.
Cole said she has suffered numerous complications from her medications and surgery. "My quality of life is still being impacted to this day," she wrote in her statement.
Her fertility status now remains unknown, she said, but she will not be able to breastfeed because her breasts were surgically removed.
"As an adult, I am now grieving, and 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," Cole wrote. "The doctors who helped me to transition have not provided me [with] any of the appropriate care for these complications."
In 2023, Cole filed a lawsuit with the Center for American Liberty (CAL) against hospitals for pushing her into medical mutilation.
Mark Trammell of CAL told Fox News Digital that today’s HHS announcement "represents a critical acknowledgment that experimental medical interventions on children with gender distress have failed to meet basic standards of safety and effectiveness."
"It signals that medicine must return to its core ethical obligation: First, do no harm. 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," Trammell added.
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In a previous statement provided to Fox News Digital, Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel said he is in favor of a "more conservative approach" for minors.
"Long-term effects of puberty blockers may include bone loss, trouble concentrating, interference with learning and interference with fertility," he said. "I think it makes sense in most cases to treat underlying mental health concerns before jumping into treatments, including surgery, that may be difficult to reverse."
The doctor also emphasized that gender issues should not be overly politicized. "This means not superimposing an ideology or pushing physicians to act in a certain way or under pressure," Siegel said.
"The welfare of the child must come first. In this case, it means going very slowly and providing support to a child or teen with gender dysphoria."
Cole shared that she hopes any children who are questioning whether they should transition wait. "While there are only two sexes, there are a million different ways that you can be yourself," she added.
"God is there for you. He is the one who has created you this way, and you can seek his counsel," Cole went on. "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."
Fox News Digital's Emma Colton contributed reporting.
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