Faith is an integral part of millions of Americans’ daily lives. “One Nation Under God” is committed to reflecting America’s voices, values and communities covering stories of faith and religion, from the latest headlines to stories of hope. Subscribe here.

(NewsNation) — Chloe Cole’s path has been anything but ordinary. Transitioning from female to male at a young age, Cole, now 21, says she faced both physical and emotional hardships that left her grappling with profound regret. 

By age 13, she went on puberty blockers. At age 15, she had a double mastectomy. But by 16, she says she realized she had made a mistake and wanted to reverse course. 

She recalls what she calls the devastating lack of support from her medical team.

“Every single one [of my doctors] was completely unsuccessful, completely unhelpful,” Cole told NewsNation.

Going to her parents to discuss her decision to reverse course was a pivotal moment.

“It was one of the most difficult conversations of my life … telling my parents that this thing we suffered through together was seemingly for nothing,” Cole said.

Yet, their unwavering support gave her the strength to rebuild.

“They let me know that they loved me just the same … because of that, I ended up becoming the woman who I am today,” Cole said.

A spiritual awakening

Faith became the cornerstone of Cole’s healing. For years, she says she had sought control through her transgender identity, only to find her new identity destructive.

“What ended up filling that void where God should have been was my transgender identity … but living a lie every day, I was destroying myself and my life,” Cole said.

It was the love of others that led her to God.

“Eventually God revealed himself to me through the kindness and the love of the people around me who loved me in a way I had never experienced before,” she said.

Faith gave Cole a sense of wholeness, even after permanent physical changes.

“Through Christ, I’m still whole, even though parts of my body are permanently gone,” she said.

But now, she finds purpose in her suffering.

“I was suffering not because God wanted me to, but because I was rejecting His creation,” she said. “He let me suffer so that through Him, I could use my testimony to help others.”

Advocacy and awareness

Cole now advocates for those vulnerable to medical interventions, emphasizing prevention and long-term care.

“We need to make it so that puberty blockers, hormones, and surgery completely disappear from our hospital systems and culture,” Cole said of some of the gender affirming care currently available to transgender teens.

She also urges compassion for families navigating these complex decisions.

“It’s not easy when doctors and entire institutions tell you that by following reality, you’re going to hurt your child or even lead to their death,” she said.

As part of her advocacy work, Cole highlights the need for research and proper guidance for people like her who choose to detransition.

“There’s no acknowledgement of any way out,” she said. “We need to figure out how to healthfully and properly detransition patients (sic).”

Facing criticism with grace

Her advocacy has drawn criticism from people, lawmakers and other advocates, but Cole remains steadfast.

“If anything, I take it as a badge of honor. … I’ve been right so far about the abuses happening to our children. There’s nothing hateful about speaking in favor of the rights of children to be loved the way God beautifully made them,” she said.

In the face of hostility, she says her faith guides her.

“Even with detractors, I’m grateful that I have my faith and the word of God to remind me to be patient,” she said. “Many of them are suffering just the same as I was.”

Hope for the future

Cole’s journey is now one of redemption and purpose.

“There’s hope. There’s a way out. It’s not going to be easy, but there’s a way out for everyone,” she said.

Her vision is grounded in family and faith.

“I hope to live in a happy, healthy, warm home, get married, and have a big family of my own,” she said.