Undercover Investigation on Detransition Services at Planned Parenthood

Chloe Cole, a transsexual, recently shared her experience regarding the lack of support for those wishing to detransition. This was part of an undercover investigation, revealing her frustrating searches for answers at various family planning clinics throughout the U.S.

The inquiry, executed by the pro-life organization Live Action in collaboration with The Call, involved phone calls to several Planned Parenthood locations in states like Idaho, Alaska, New York, and Washington, D.C. During the calls, Cole posed as a patient seeking information on how to reverse her gender transition.

In many of these conversations, clinic employees mentioned gender-affirming care options but didn’t offer any specific programs or resources for individuals looking to detransition. For instance, when Cole inquired whether Planned Parenthood aids individuals aiming to revert their transitions, she received vague responses.

One staff member informed her, “We only provide gender-affirming care services like hormone therapy, but we don’t do things like detransition.” When concerns about fertility or the implications of prior treatment were raised, the response was similarly unhelpful—”No at this time. I don’t think we do that,” was the reply.

This revelation has prompted Live Action to launch a campaign urging lawmakers to continue restricting federal funding for family planning programs, suggesting a rise in transgender medical services without adequate accompanying support for those looking to detransition.

Chloe shared her own story, indicating that she began her transition from female to male at age twelve. By fifteen, she underwent a double mastectomy, only to realize later that this was detrimental to her health. She commenced her detransition around age sixteen and sought information on what assistance existed for people regretting their transitions.

During the investigation, Cole recounted how disappointing it was to discover that while family planning clinics were eager to start people on their transition journeys, they provided little to no support for those wishing to reverse course. In her attempts to engage staff members about the consequences of previous procedures and medications, she was often met with references to external providers or uncertainty about available care.

Interestingly, the findings align with a previous investigation showing that some family planning clinics allowed minors as young as sixteen to receive cross-sex hormones with minimal supervision. The latest effort by Live Action aims to focus attention on the lack of services for those seeking to cease treatment.

Live Action’s president, Lila Rose, claimed that the investigation highlighted a disconcerting imbalance within the family planning system. According to her, while Planned Parenthood seems ready to prescribe hormones to those seeking to transition, they lack the resources when it comes to helping those wanting to detransition.

The inquiry utilizes the results to advocate for Congress and the Trump administration to continue limiting federal funding to Planned Parenthood beyond the current restrictions. Planned Parenthood, meanwhile, maintains it offers numerous reproductive health services across the country and is funded significantly by government reimbursements.

A request for comments from Planned Parenthood regarding the investigation’s assertions went unanswered, indicating a continued dialogue on the services and support available to those navigating these complex health issues.