A queer activist is raising doubts about whether “de-transitioning” is a “real thing.”

During a House hearing on anti-LGBT violence on Wednesday, Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) asked Jessie Pocock, a queer activist and executive director of Inside Out Youth Services, about the “phenomenon” of de-transitioning.

De-transitioning refers to a trans person seeking to return to their original gender.

“What’s that person going through? Did they get it wrong? Were they going through a period? Is it just a fluid thing?” he asked.

Pocock responded, “I can’t really speak to an individual’s personal experience. You know, somebody’s gender is just a really personal thing.”

“I’ve been in this work for a long time, I know a lot of trans folks, close friends, family members, and I’ve just never heard of a case of anyone de-transitioning. So I honestly don’t think it’s a real thing,” she added.

Watch the video below:

Cloud pushed back as he noted there are a “number of cases in the news right now where this is happening.”

Advertisement

“And the concern for parents I have is, you know, we’ve all had awkward teen years where we’ve questioned things and existence and a lot of things. And the question is, is kids who are maybe making a permanent decision even without the input of their parents,” he continued. “I’m curious how we would work to protect kids.”

Chris Beck, a retired Navy SEAL, came out as transgender a decade ago. However, in recent days he shared that he is de-transitioning and criticized what he views as an “ideology” that is being “pushed in schools.”

“Thinking about the ideology, I’m not talking about the people — Now, there’s a lot of transgender people out there; great folks,” Beck told Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight. “But the ideology as I’m talking about is becoming something where it’s being pushed in schools and young teenagers are having surgeries because it says they’re transgender. It’s an affirmation.”

CBS News’ “60 Minutes” faced criticism in 2021 for running a segment focused on people who expressed regret for transitioning.

The segment featured so-called “detransitioners” who shared their experiences.

GLAAD torched the segment in a tweet writing, “Tonight aired a shameful segment fearmongering about trans youth. Parents of trans youth could walk away with the false belief that young people are being rushed into medical transition. That is simply untrue.”

“As the piece noted, every major medical association supports affirming, age-appropriate care for trans youth and the guidelines for that care are safe and well-established. And yet, the majority of the story was devoted to “raising concerns” about youth accessing that care,” it continued.

Advertisement

CBS News’ Lesley Stahl defended the segment and argued it was an overlooked subject.