Christopher Newport University’s (CNU) Turning Point USA (TPUSA) club hosted an event with speaker Chloe Cole, who positions her story as a cautionary example of what she views as the dangers of gender transition procedures for minors on Thursday, Nov. 6 in Gaines Theater.
Cole, 21, who began identifying as transgender at age 12, underwent hormone therapy and a double mastectomy before detransitioning at 16-years-old. She recounted how early exposure to online communities and social media shaped her perception of gender and belonging.
“Without taking a single step into the real world, I could learn all about it,” she said, describing her early use of the internet. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t prepared for the parts that made it confusing for a child to navigate.”
She alleges that medical professionals “manipulated” her parents into approving her transition, and argued that the current model of gender-affirming care for minors prioritizes affirmation over psychological assessment. Cole now advocates for legislation that bans puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender-related surgeries for minors.
She also criticized what she described as a “culture of dehumanization” in political discourse, claiming that the radical elements on both sides have eroded civility.
“When you erase somebody, calling them a Nazi or a monster, it changes how people look at them…it leads to real world consequences,” Cole said. “We must bridge the gap and speak face-to-face in earnest.”
During the Q&A, a student brought up posts made about Cole on the anonymous platform YikYak, alleging that she shares hostile words to those she disagrees with. The student asked whether Cole viewed that kind of behavior as the product of hatred, ignorance or a lack of exposure.
Cole said she believed it was “a combination of all of the above,” and acknowledged that some people harbor “legitimate hatred” toward her, while others are “sheltered” and unfamiliar with people who hold her views.
“That’s exactly why it’s so important that we have these discussions on campus,” she said. “There are people who genuinely think that people like me want to harm them to take something from them, and that’s why exposure and dialogue are so necessary.”
When asked about how she responds to criticism, Cole emphasized maintaining composure and empathy. “No matter how badly people treat us, we cannot stoop to their level.”
Later, Cole addressed her ongoing lawsuit against the doctors who oversaw her transition and clarified she is suing her medical providers and not her parents, despite them being the one to give parental consent. “Why should I sue my mom and dad for something they were coerced into?” she said. “I’m suing my surgeons because they knew, because they did harm me knowingly.”
Throughout her speech, Cole framed her experience in moral and spiritual terms, attributing her recovery to her Christian faith. “Without my faith, I would not be here today,” she said. “I filled the God-shaped hole in my heart with dysfunction.”
Cole reflected on how detransitioning isolated her from her former peers. “I went my entire senior year of high school completely alone,” she said. “I didn’t know why, but I refused to let the pain, the grief and the betrayal hold me back.”
She said that period of loneliness ultimately led her to rediscover a sense of purpose through faith and advocacy.
“We are called to be the antidote to the evil in our world,” she said. “And we are going to achieve victory and peace, because we have to.”
There were notably no protests happening outside the event.
