Detransitioner Predicts Wave of Lawsuits After $2M Verdict

Chloe Cole says landmark ruling sets legal precedent for cases involving minors who regret gender transition procedures.

Feb. 7, 2026 at 11:23am

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A $2 million jury verdict in New York is giving momentum to lawsuits against doctors who perform gender transition surgeries on minors, according to detransitioner Chloe Cole. Cole, who has a pending lawsuit related to her own transition that began at age 12, says the ruling will influence future cases involving patients who regret medical transitions they underwent as children. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons also recently updated its guidance to recommend delaying gender-related surgeries until patients are at least 19 years old.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing legal and medical scrutiny around the issue of gender transition procedures for minors, as more people who underwent these treatments as children are speaking out about regretting their decisions. The $2 million verdict could set a precedent for future lawsuits, potentially leading to a wave of additional cases against doctors and healthcare providers.

The details

In the New York case, the plaintiff, Fox Varian, was 16 years old when doctors performed a double mastectomy. Now an adult who no longer identifies as transgender, Varian argued she was not mentally well or mature enough to make the life-altering medical decision as a minor. A jury found two medical professionals involved in Varian's case liable for malpractice, saying they had skipped key steps in determining whether irreversible surgery was the best course of action.

  • On Jan. 30, a New York jury reached the $2 million verdict.
  • Earlier this month, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons updated its guidance to recommend delaying gender-related surgeries until patients are at least 19 years old.

The players

Chloe Cole

A detransitioner who advocates for similar cases and has a pending lawsuit related to her own gender transition that began at age 12.

Fox Varian

The plaintiff in the $2 million case, who was 16 years old when doctors performed a double mastectomy. Varian no longer identifies as transgender and argued she was not mentally well or mature enough to make the decision as a minor.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)

The professional organization that recently updated its guidance to recommend delaying gender-related surgeries until patients are at least 19 years old, citing insufficient evidence that the procedures have a positive risk-benefit ratio.

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What they’re saying

“We finally have organizational backing on this idea that these procedures, especially the surgeries, are harmful for kids.”

— Chloe Cole (Fox & Friends Weekend)

“We now have a legal precedent as well for attorneys to look to when they're helping detransition patients get legal justice.”

— Chloe Cole (Fox & Friends Weekend)

“These lawsuits are going to flood the court system and make it so that these doctors realize that there is a huge liability to these procedures and give them no other sane choice but to stop doing this to children.”

— Chloe Cole (Fox & Friends Weekend)

What’s next

The judge in the Fox Varian case will likely make a decision on whether to allow the $2 million verdict to stand in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing legal and medical concerns around gender transition procedures for minors, as more people who underwent these treatments as children are speaking out about regretting their decisions. The $2 million verdict could set a precedent for future lawsuits, potentially leading to a wave of additional cases against doctors and healthcare providers who perform these procedures on young patients.