Senate HELP Committee Holds Hearing on Risks of Gender Transition Procedures for Minors

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing titled “Protecting Our Children: Exposing the Dangers of Irreversible Gender Transition Procedures on Minors” on June 3, 2026. Dr. Kurt Miceli, medical director of Do No Harm, Chloe Cole, a detransitioner, and Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, appeared as witnesses.

Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders opened the hearing by questioning its purpose. “Today we are … spending hours on a hearing that impacts an infinitesimal number of people,” Sanders said. ” Dr.

Miceli cited figures showing that 14,000 children underwent gender-transition procedures from 2019 to 2023, including more than 5,700 surgical cases. Shannon Minter stated that over the same five-year period only about 14,700 young people received any medication. “Over a five-year period, we’re talking about fewer than one in 1,000 young people,” Minter said.

Chloe Cole testified that doctors surgically transitioned her after a single psychiatric evaluation. Democratic Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin compared Cole’s experience to a back surgery that caused chronic pain.

“I know a close family member who deeply regrets having back surgery that made the pain chronic throughout her life,” Baldwin said. “Those things happen. ” Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine read a letter from a mother who described being impressed with the level of care her child received.

He asked witnesses about threats facing medical professionals. ” Democratic Massachusetts Sen. ” He added that Republicans had chosen the trans community to blame when they could not win on health care, wages, gas, or grocery prices.