The Tragic Cost of Ignoring ‘Male and Female’: Detransitioners Sound the Alarm

“We need to stop telling 12-year-olds that they were born wrong, that they are right to reject their own bodies and feel uncomfortable in their own skin. We need to stop telling children that puberty is an option, that they can choose what kind of puberty they will go through. My childhood was ruined along with thousands of de-transitioners that I know through our networks. This needs to stop,”

In an era where society increasingly celebrates the idea that gender is fluid and changeable, the biblical declaration, “God made them male and female” (Genesis 1:27), is not only being overlooked but actively challenged. The growing cultural embrace of transgender ideology, particularly among youth, has led to a surge in gender transitions—many of which culminate in deep regret. For those who have walked the path of transition, only to later de-transition, the cost of this journey is far greater than they ever anticipated.

Chloe Cole, an eighteen-year-old who once identified as transgender, now stands at the forefront of a movement to protect children from the irreversible consequences of gender-transition surgeries. Chloe’s story is one of both tragedy and hope. Having undergone puberty blockers and a double mastectomy by the age of 15, she de-transitioned, realizing that the physical changes brought her no closer to the happiness she had been promised. “We need to stop telling 12-year-olds that they were born wrong,” Chloe passionately argues, “My childhood was ruined along with thousands of de-transitioners that I know through our networks. This needs to stop.”

The narrative Chloe and other de-transitioners share is both heart-wrenching and alarming. In her book, Detrans: True Stories of Escaping the Gender Ideology Cult, Mary Margaret Olohan exposes the harsh realities faced by those who have transitioned only to regret it. She recounts how many young people were led to believe that their struggles—be it discomfort at school, social isolation, or feelings of inadequacy—stemmed from being in the “wrong” body. Transitioning, they were told, would solve all their problems. “And of course, this is a lie,” Olohan bluntly states.

Olohan’s critique of what is often termed “gender-affirming care” is stark. She argues that this care is, in reality, a regimen of puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and ultimately, irreversible surgeries—steps taken by individuals who are often too young to fully grasp the long-term consequences. “A lot of these girls got double mastectomies, which is called ‘top surgery’, before they were legal adults,” Olohan reveals, highlighting the grim reality of these procedures. The scars left behind are not just physical but deeply emotional. “What they’re left with is very gruesome looking, scars that lace across their chest that are black,” she describes, painting a picture of a tragedy that is far too common.

As more de-transitioners begin to speak out, a disturbing pattern emerges. Many, like Chloe, realized too late that the promised happiness was a mirage. They were told that transitioning would alleviate their mental health struggles, but instead, many found themselves grappling with even more severe issues. “If I was lied to about this, what else was I lied to about?” is the haunting question many de-transitioners find themselves asking.

The role of medical professionals in this crisis cannot be ignored. Olohan highlights the immense pressure placed on parents by doctors who frame the decision to transition as a life-or-death choice. “Would you rather have a dead daughter or a living son?” is the ultimatum many parents are given—a chilling manipulation that leads them to consent to treatments that may harm their children irreparably.

For those who de-transition, the journey is fraught with additional challenges. Olohan points out that while society celebrates those who transition, those who choose to de-transition are often met with hostility and rejection. “If a de-transitioner speaks up…they’re told that you were never actually transgender and that you’re a traitor,” she explains, highlighting the cruel irony that those who sought acceptance through transitioning are now ostracized for rejecting it.

Chloe Cole’s courage in sharing her story has had a profound impact. Her testimony before Congress has contributed to a shift in how states view “gender-affirming care” for minors. Today, half of all U.S. states have banned puberty blockers and surgeries for individuals under 18, with more states expected to follow. “I speak to you in the hope that you will have the courage to bring this scandal to an end,” Chloe implored, “Enough children have been victimized by this barbaric pseudo-science, please let me be your final warning.”

The stories of Chloe Cole and others like her are a sobering reminder of the dangers of ignoring the foundational truth that “God made them male and female.” In a culture that prizes the freedom to define one’s identity, these individuals are the voices of caution, urging society to reconsider the path it has taken. Their scars—both seen and unseen—tell a story of a generation led astray by false promises, now seeking to protect the next from making the same irreversible mistakes.