Penna Dexter

There are about 100 pediatric gender clinics in the U.S. doing irreversible surgeries on youngsters that more than a few come to regret.

One such person is Chloe Cole, age 18. I heard her story in a breakout session at a conference put on by the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Chloe told us she began experiencing emotional struggles she believes were partially due to early puberty. Online, she found “expert advice” leading her to question her “gender assigned at birth.”

At age 12, Chloe told her parents she was socially transitioning. The therapist they took her to quickly began to refer to her as a boy and encouraged a medical transition. Chloe’s parents thought such a decision was best put off until she turned 18. Doctors assured them the rate of regret for transitions was “only” 1-2 percent and that denying her “gender-affirming care” could increase her risk of suicide.

Within 1-2 months Chloe was diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Within six months, she was on puberty blockers. At age 13, she began taking testosterone. She complained of pain, especially in her joints. She began wearing breast binders. More discomfort. They were hot, especially since she always wore hoodies to cover any hint she may be female.

At 15, Chloe had what the trans-affirming crowd calls top surgery — a double mastectomy.

She did it knowing she would never nurse a baby and was reducing her chances of even having one. At age 15, that didn’t matter. But, later, — in, of all places, a psychology class — she began to think more of it.

Chloe says she soon began “missing being a girl.” Her school performance and attendance dropped. The skin grafts on her breasts began to fail and are still leaking.

Chloe now says, “Transitioned kids can’t live a fulfilling life.” She says, when an adolescent is told it’s possible to socially transition, “that’s lying to a kid about who they are.”

She’s delivering a needed message.