UCLA students debated a conservative activist who opposes gender-affirming care for minors at a Turning Point USA event in Bruin Plaza on Wednesday.

The event – organized by TPUSA’s West Hollywood and UCLA chapters – was part of a series called “Pick up the Mic” which invites college students to debate Chloe Cole, a speaker who supports banning minors from receiving gender-affirming care after her own gender detransition.

About 60 people watched Cole debate students throughout the event’s 3-hour-long period.

TPUSA is a national conservative nonprofit founded by Charlie Kirk, a right-wing conservative commentator who often traveled to college campuses to debate students about political issues such as abortion, gun control and LGBTQ+ rights. Kirk was killed Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University on the first stop of his American Comeback Tour.

Kirk previously hosted a similar debate event with TPUSA at UCLA in November 2023 as part of another national tour.

Several students challenged Cole about her opinions on gender-affirming health care for minors.

Cole – who has sued Kaiser Permanente, alleging that doctors employed by the hospital system coerced her into transitioning – said at the debate that she believes when minors transition, they may feel happier in the moment, but their quality of life will worsen afterward.

“I don’t care whether these people regret it or not, because the issue is not their feelings about it, but the consequence that it has for their overall quality of life,” Cole said at the debate.

Cole has publicly posted on Instagram that she began receiving transition treatment – including puberty blockers at 12 – and later had a double mastectomy surgery before her detransition at 16.

Jedidiah Polinsky, a student who debated Cole during the event, said he wanted to engage in a productive conversation despite the topic’s controversial nature.

“I know it’s pretty contentious to come to UCLA as Turning Point,” said Polinsky, a fourth-year psychology student. “I wanted to try to establish respectful communication where some sort of understanding happens.”

Dheyan Lim, a first-year undeclared engineering student, said he decided to debate Cole because he believed she was not adequately answering students’ questions. Lim wanted to push for more direct discussion, he said.

Lim said he believes that Cole was there to provoke students rather than engage in a productive conversation.

“If a conservative group, or any group I disagree with, really wants to come on campus and have open, logical debates and aren’t just fodder for social media, then they should be free to do so,” Lim said. “But these people specifically kind of irritate me because they’re doing stuff to ragebait.”

Multiple TPUSA representatives – and members of the UCLA chapter – declined to comment on the event and Cole’s comments about transitioning.

Steve Lurie, the associate vice chancellor for campus and community safety, said his team increased security presence for the event, with about 10 security guards and multiple UCPD officers stationed in Bruin Plaza. Cole also hired her own private security, Lurie added.

Lurie said Cole has previously drawn heated debates on college campuses. The UCLA event, however, was quiet and peaceful, he added.

The university was particularly cognizant of the need for security following Kirk’s murder, Lurie said.

“Throughout the country, sometimes she (Cole) can draw a lot of counterspeech,” Lurie said. “She’s had other appearances around the country that have led to … vibrant debate.”

A small group of students protested on the outskirts of the event, holding signs reading “Chud” and “Are you Charlie Kirk: yes or no?” The counter-protesters also attempted to engage organizers in debate.

The event concluded at 2 p.m.

Daniel Cho, another student who debated Cole, said he attended the event to hear a conservative perspective – which he doesn’t normally get at UCLA, he added.

“A lot of universities are typically left-leaning or liberal. You don’t get as many chances to talk to someone who has a different view,” said Cho, a first-year political science student. “I was curious to see the other side.”