A bill prohibiting physicians, clinics, and hospitals from participating in chemical or surgical mutilation of minors has been introduced in Congress as the Chloe Cole Act.
Cole (pictured above), an outspoken activist who opposes gender-affirming care for minors, detransitioned after she underwent a double mastectomy at 15 years old.
The bill, named after Cole, would ban doctors, clinics, and hospitals from performing or supporting medical or surgical gender-transition procedures on minors. This includes the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries.
It defines “sex” strictly as a biological classification determined at conception, and considers “participation” to include prescribing, administering, or helping facilitate any of these treatments.
Additionally, the bill would create a private right of action, allowing individuals who underwent gender-transition procedures as minors—or their parents—to sue health care providers, hospitals, or clinics involved in the treatment.
The civil action outlined in the bill could be brought up to 25 years after the individual’s 18th birthday or within 4 years of incurring costs related to detransition.
Further, the bill would impose strict liability, meaning medical professionals can be held financially responsible regardless of intent if found to have participated in prohibited treatments.
The 12-page bill was introduced Thursday by U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) (pictured here) and U.S. Representative Bob Onder (R-MO-03).
“No child should be pushed into irreversible chemical and surgical mutilation under the guise of so-called ‘gender-affirming care,’” Tennessee’s Blackburn said in a statement.
“The Chloe Cole Act would put a stop to this barbaric abuse of children and give those who have suffered the consequences of these harmful procedures the chance to fight back,” Blackburn added.
Cole said she was “humbled” to have the bill named after her, adding, “This bill will prevent further gender mutilation in The United States and also allow we, detransitioners, to achieve justice and hold our doctors, and institutions who failed us to account”
The bill comes months after President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order titled, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” which directed the federal government to take action to restrict or eliminate access to gender-transition medical treatments for minors.
The U.S. Department of Justice transmitted the legislative proposal, originally titled the Victims of Chemical or Surgical Mutilation Act, to Congress earlier this month.
In addition to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Chloe Cole Act is endorsed by the American Principles Project and Independent Women’s Forum.
The bill follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling earlier this summer in U.S. v. Skrmetti upholding Tennessee’s law forbidding healthcare providers from performing or administering “gender-affirming” medical procedures or treatments to underage children.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Chloe Cole” by Chloe Cole. Background Photo “Teens Against Gender Mutilation Rally” by eventbrite.
