I Am Jazz (2015) s01e11 Episode Script
The Family Tells All
1 Snow: After a season of challenge - What did he just say? - And change If we jump up your estrogen dose, we risk stopping your growth.
Jazz Jennings and her family sit down to talk about it all.
You guys have taken a lot of criticism.
Most people haven't walked in our shoes.
The early struggle We were in shock for a while.
I was thinking, "what does this mean?" Mission control, we have a problem.
Snow: The medical journey It's an implant, and it blocks male puberty.
When do you have to make a decision about surgery? Why not just let nature take its course? Because she might not be alive.
What Jazz thinks about sex and dating Do you know if you like boys or girls? I'm not really sure.
And the backlash Death threats? - Death threats.
- It's happened.
As the national transgender conversation grows louder There's a tipping point.
People's lives will be saved, and people will be helped by this.
Nothing is off-limits.
I wish I didn't have to be, "oh, hey.
I am Jazz, the girl that is transgender.
" I'm Kate Snow, and in this hour, Jazz and her family open up about not just their journey, but what they call the civil rights battle of our time.
Florida lawmakers this spring tried to push forward a law that would have prohibited you from going to the girls' bathroom.
Yeah.
"Put Jazz Jennings in jail.
" That's what they said.
In suburban Florida, a teenage girl gets ready for her close-up.
Yeah.
[Laughs.]
Hi! I'm Jazz.
14-year-old Jazz Jennings and her family have just wrapped up season one of "I Am Jazz," and little by little, she's getting used to life in the spotlight.
- She's a girl.
- She's a girl.
I am transgender.
Greg: We love her just the way she is.
I am a girl.
I am an artist.
I am Jazz.
The series joins a recent wave of shows featuring people who are transgender, including "Orange Is The New Black" and "Transparent," not to mention the similarly named "I Am Cait," showcasing Caitlyn Jenner's new life.
This has been an incredible year for trans advocacy and for progress.
You see Laverne Cox.
You see Janet Mock.
We're beginning to be seen as human, deserving dignity and respect like anyone else.
A year ago, nobody was talking about transgender community.
Well, it's always been out there, but in terms of, you know, how the public perceived it, it's been different.
Like, people have always been sharing their story, but now there's just so much visibility that people are finally starting to open up their minds and educate themselves on what it means to be transgender and, you know, who we are as a community.
Snow: Jazz's parents, Greg and Jeanette, say it was the debut of Caitlyn Jenner at the ESPY Awards on the same night "I Am Jazz" premiered that signaled a significant shift in the conversation.
There's a tipping point.
You know, for a very long time, we've tried to share our story.
But we really haven't been able to do it at the magnitude that Caitlyn Jenner was able to do it.
It was something that was ultimately necessary to tip the scale so that the conversation moved into mainstream America and everybody was talking about it.
Jeanette: Everybody in America, at least, now knows a transgender person.
Not personally, but can say, "I have seen a transgender person.
I know somebody, not personally, but I've seen their story of a transgender person.
" Caitlyn Jenner.
Seen Caitlyn Jenner's story, and I knew who Bruce Jenner was.
I mean, you know, people of our generation Everybody knew who Bruce Jenner was.
But before Caitlyn ever revealed herself publicly, there was Jazz.
Jeanette: Yeah, it was even before she was 2, because she was acting like a girl.
She was pointing to toys and asking for toys.
She was really verbal very early on, but as soon as she could put sentences together, it was like, "I am a girl.
" And you thought what? Just a phase, you know? "Oh, you know, maybe she'll be gay.
" I don't I didn't care.
I was like, "you know what? Kid's happy.
If she wants a doll, I don't care.
If she wants to wear the little plastic dress-up shoes" We have a picture of her.
She's, like, 16 months old in little plastic stilettos with the little boa on it.
But a lot of kids do that, Greg, right? A lot of kids experiment and want to play dress-up.
Yeah, no question about it.
Initially, we thought it was a phase, and I really didn't think much about it.
I was pretty oblivious until Jeanette said, "we may have a serious problem.
" And then we went to a doctor, and she was diagnosed as being transgender.
And so, that was pretty young.
- She was three years old.
- Yeah.
How long did it take the two of you to go from shock to full acceptance? Um, we were in shock for a while.
It was, like, a slow type of thing.
It wasn't, like, an overnight process.
They weren't the only ones.
Jeanette's parents, Jack and Jacky, also had trouble coming to terms with their grandchild's gender identity.
She got the diagnosis, and I was devastated.
Why devastated? I felt like an explosion was gonna be occurring in the family.
This family that really was delicious, adorable, our family, and now we've got a problem.
Mission control, we have a problem.
And where do we go from here? No road maps.
No one to guide.
Not that familiar with the situation.
How are we gonna handle this? What are we gonna do? Does a problem mean that, at first, you had a hard time accepting it? Oh, yes.
I-I still can remember being upstairs in Jazz's bedroom, looking down at then a very little person, and the tears would run down my face.
I just wanted to reach out, hold him/her, and say, "let's see what we can do.
" You know, "let's make it better.
" It was very unsettling, very difficult.
When you were standing there, looking over her sleeping, do you remember those thoughts, those emotions? Absolutely.
What what was it? What can you describe? I wanted to cry.
I wanted to stop time.
I didn't want the world to come in on her.
I wanted everything to be all right.
It was at a dance recital when Jazz was just 4 when Jeanette realized that her child was experiencing something far more than a phase.
She wasn't allowed to wear the tutu.
Yeah.
It was a nightmare.
[Chuckles.]
I tried to tell myself, at the time, when I watched the video I was trying to, like, almost placate myself.
Like, "oh, she's nervous or she's shy.
" But the bottom line was, she was pissed.
And then she got upset during the dance recital.
You could just see her kind of go downhill.
In the beginning, she was more smiley, and as it went on, you could see her looking around at the other girls, and it was obvious, looking back on it, she wanted that tutu.
And she wasn't verbalizing it at that moment, but afterwards, then when she told me, I'm like, "I should have pulled you off the stage and taken you home," or "why did I even put you in the class in the first place knowing that" If I knew, you know, how devastating it would be to her Is it hard for you now, even? Yeah, when I watch that video, it's always fresh again.
Just looking at her little face, like, and she's just snapping her finger and tapping her toe, and all the other girls are doing this dance and all over the stage.
She wouldn't move.
And that was her way, as a 4-year-old kid, of sending you a message.
Yeah.
Definitely.
Greg: Happy birthday! 5 years old, at her birthday party, she wears a one-piece girls' bathing suit.
I think that was the moment where where, really, we well, Jazz, with our consent, really shared with our community and everybody Our friends, the world That she's Jazz and that we were, you know, going to support her and love her.
Mm-hmm.
And we really didn't care what anybody thought about it.
There were no haircuts after that day.
That was it.
Like, she's gonna be a girl.
Say "cheese.
" Cheese! Do you guys remember being told by your parents that there was something different about Jazz? Do you remember that conversation? I do.
I kind of do.
I remember where I was.
My dad told me, and I was a little upset at first, but then he, like, explained to me how how tragic it can really get if we're not supportive and not there for her 100%.
But in the end, like, all he had to say was that it can be really rough, and I was like, "wow.
Okay.
I'm there.
" It probably wasn't a big shock to you all, right? 'Cause she had already been dressing up in clothes.
Yeah.
She always gravitated towards girly things.
For us, we wanted the boys to rule the house.
[Chuckles.]
So, when Jazz transitioned - You wanted a little brother.
- We were young, and the only thing we pretty much thought about was, "oh, well, this kind of sucks.
Now we have three and three.
" We always thought, "oh, four v.
two.
There's more boys than girls.
" But it wasn't like that anymore.
And obviously, as a kid, that's all we thought about.
But Jazz's grandparents, unfamiliar with the concept of gender identity, did understand that if young Jazz transitioned, she and they would face larger issues.
You wanted to protect your little granddaughter.
Yes.
We had our moments in our inside world, within this house, in the family.
At least, I did.
Were there moments of early embarrassment? Perhaps.
Perhaps.
The conversion from "him" to "her" and seeing all the window dressing at that point You just said Maybe embarrassment isn't the right word, but it's awkward, right? It's hard stuff to talk about.
"Awkward" probably is a better word.
- Awkward is a good word.
- We came out with I was more silent than Jack with certain people.
When Jack embraced it, he was able to take it out easier.
I quieted down.
I didn't meet somebody new in the market and say, "oh! I've got a message.
Let me tell you what's going on.
" "My granddaughter is transgender.
" "My grandchild's transgender.
" No.
I held back.
I-I let it ooze out of the tube bit by bit.
But we accepted.
We accepted because of Jeanette and Greg, too, and the other children.
Snow: Coming up Why not just let nature take its course and and deal with this when she's an adult? Because she might not be alive.
And later So, what do you say to people who think that it's not right for you to use the girls' room? Snow: That one-piece bathing suit marked Jazz's transition within her family.
A year later, she made a much larger debut, going public on the national stage with a Barbara Walters interview on "20/20.
" If people say to you, "are you a boy or a girl?" What do you say? - A girl.
- Mm-hmm.
You went really public in a big way.
Yeah.
Why make that decision to let a little girl talk to the world? My gut told me.
[Chuckles.]
I always say I go with my gut, but that was a really long process.
When ABC approached us, Greg was like, "absolutely not.
" - Really? - Oh, definitely not.
You were adamant, Greg? Yeah.
Well, I was concerned.
I thought it was an important issue.
I thought that the world should know that kids like Jazz existed, I just didn't necessarily want it to be Jazz and our family in the spotlight.
I was concerned for our safety.
That's a tough, controversial issue, especially at the time.
We didn't want to show our faces, use our names.
Like, "well, can't we do it and blur us out?" So, it took 10 months of talking to the network for them to finally get us to say, "okay, we'll do this.
" Jazz: I wasn't really sure what was going on.
I didn't know who Barbara Walters was.
You didn't know who she was? I thought she was my friend, 'cause I was six years old.
So, I'm like, "my friend Barbara.
" So, my parents, they told me that if I shared my story, that I could maybe help other kids out there who might be struggling who are transgender.
And once they told me that, I knew it was the right thing to do.
Snow: From the springboard of the Barbara Walters interview, Jazz began to take on a more public profile as a transgender child.
Hi, everyone.
It's Jazz.
Snow: It started when she was seven with a series of YouTube videos, then public-speaking engagements.
It's amazing to be here tonight representing all of the LGBTQ kids and teens out there.
Man: Okay, Jazz.
We're ready for you.
Snow: And now, "I Am Jazz" puts the entire family in the spotlight.
Jazz interview.
Take one.
Mark.
How did you decide, as a family, to do this series? You know, that was a very, very hard decision because this would completely, like, obliterate whatever normal life we had before.
It was definitely difficult, but we wanted to share the story, which is a message of love and tolerance and just respecting transgender individuals for the person they are.
It's not easy, though, right, to sit here? I mean, we're here with all kinds of gear in your kitchen.
It's invasive to do all this, right, in some ways.
Like, I don't know if "invasive" is the correct term, 'cause that's almost, like, unwelcoming, you know, type of invasive.
But it's definitely It definitely does put life on hold for a few moments, and we have to change things up a little bit.
But you know what? It's okay, and it's pretty fun sometimes.
Snow: While it took Jeanette's parents some time to come to terms with their granddaughter's gender identity, they are fully behind the family's decision to open up their lives.
Was it the right choice, do you think, for your family to be so public? - Absolutely.
Yes.
- Yes.
Why? Because Jazz is special.
Yeah.
I can't even add to that.
What's making you emotional? Because she's special.
There really was no choice.
I want to know why you're so emotional right now, Jack.
Uh, sometimes, they run away with me the emotions, yeah.
It's been a journey.
It's been a good nine-year journey.
And, um A lot of decisions are not made by us.
Most of the decisions are not made by us.
We ride the ride.
But it is what it is.
And I don't know if Jack would feel, if he could wave the wand and make it okay and not have been this way, how you'd answer that.
The same way Jazz would.
Jazz was once asked the question.
If a magic fairy could come along and give you a wand and make you whole as whoever you want to be, what would you do? She said, "I'd break the wand in half.
" Jazz has been very public about her transgender identity for years, but the family says the show has clearly reached a much larger audience.
After the show aired, we were walking around, and people were coming up to Jazz, and it was Jeanette: They recognized you.
We were actually crossing a street once, and there was a crossing guard that was like this, like this, like, "hey, Miss Jazz.
" [Laughter.]
"How's your day today?" Yeah.
It was pretty funny.
It was, like, just nonchalant like if she knew her, like, her whole life.
It was really cute.
It's weird sometimes.
[Chuckles.]
Yeah, weird to go to Hollywood and walk the red carpet, too.
I mean, you've had a lot happen in kind of a short amount of time.
Does it get overwhelming sometimes? Yeah, it does get overwhelming.
Are there days when you just don't even want to say the word "transgender?" You just want to, like, be Jazz and just I wish it didn't have to be, "oh, hey.
I am Jazz, the girl that is transgender," I didn't have to continue repeating the same things over and over again.
Of course, being transgender is something I embrace, and I'm proud of it, and it's a part of me.
I want people to know that there's so much more to me than that.
Yeah.
It's just one part.
It's just one little part.
Itsy-bitsy part.
Snow: Coming up It's a huge surgery.
It's a huge decision.
Yeah.
It's scaring me right now just kind of thinking about it.
Snow: And later Not everybody in the extended family has the same comfort level.
- No.
- Or no level at all.
Snow: It's the family's least-favorite subject and a very personal one, but it's something they know everyone is curious about The medical side of Jazz's transition.
It began when she was 11.
The hormone blockers are working brilliantly.
The hormone blockers suppress male puberty.
Then estrogen was added to her daily regimen.
- You're blocked.
- No mustaches, no beards.
- [Laughter.]
- Right.
You've been on hormone blockers for a while, blocking male puberty.
How's that going, and how long can you stay on the blockers? Well, I have an implant in my arm right there.
You can still see the scar.
And, yeah, it's kind of this metal tube that They put it in for a whole year, right? - Do they leave it? - Yeah.
It's an implant, and it lasts for about one to two years.
And, you know, it blocks male puberty, testosterone, and I won't develop as a male and have those masculine features of a beard and - And it's working, right? - It is.
It is working.
But I've had this one in for over a year now, so I think it might be time to get a new one soon.
You talk on the show about how you're also taking estrogen.
- Mm-hmm.
- Right? So, are you still Is this gonna be the way it is for a few years now, probably? Like, you're still gonna keep up this regimen for a while? Yeah.
With the estrogen, it's something that continues.
And then you kind of increase your dosages until you get to that adult level, and from then, you just mostly maintain.
When do you have to make a decision about surgery? You can get the surgery when you are 18 years old, and you know, some doctors do it when you're 16, but let's just say 18 years old, 'cause I don't think I would want to do it when I was 16 or 17.
But it doesn't mean that you necessarily have to get the surgery when you're 18.
You could do it any time in your life, so You don't have to do it at all, right? Or you don't have to do it at all.
Correct.
It's completely your own decision, and for me, I am definitely thinking about it, because that's in three years, like, three or four years, so I definitely have to start considering, you know, the surgery.
- And - But you're not sure.
- It scares me.
Yeah.
- It scares you.
It's scaring me right now just kind of thinking about it.
It's a lot.
It's a huge surgery.
It's a huge decision.
You know, you're really altering your body.
Snow: With no guidebook, Jazz's parents have had to navigate this journey largely on their own.
I think every parent, myself included, questions their decisions along the way.
Do you do you have moments where you think, "oh, my gosh.
Are we doing the right thing?" When it comes to Jazz and the way we've gone about it regarding her transgender journey, I wouldn't change a thing.
- Would you? - Yeah.
When it comes to the medical issues, we've been 100% on board, you know, with the decisions we've made.
And all of them were very deliberate.
You know, we took as much information as we needed to to take that step, so no regrets or nothing where we look back and say we wish we did something different in that respect.
So, now she's taking female hormones.
Yes.
Again, was that a hard decision? Was that, "okay.
The next step.
We've got to do this"? To me, that was a necessary decision for her mental well-being.
We did not want her to be frozen between being, like, a male- and a female-bodied person.
You know, blockers just freeze you, and you're nothing.
You're not developing as a male or a female.
And I think that's kind of difficult for a child to remain in suspended animation like that.
So, it was For her to go on the blockers was opening a new world where she could develop like her peers.
Why not just let nature take its course and deal with this when she's an adult? Because she might not be alive.
She might not make it to adulthood.
And she'll tell you that herself.
Going through male puberty would probably be the worst, most devastating thing that could happen to her, and then undoing male puberty is very difficult.
You can't take the height away.
Your brow juts out like this.
You can't take that away.
You have to get rid of the beard, which is very, very painful, getting your Adam's apple shaved, everything.
It's a huge cost, too.
Not everybody can afford that.
You can get female feminization of your face and you can look like a completely different person, but the cost of that's exorbitant.
So to have to put her through that would be cruel.
Cruel.
Now the clock is running a little bit, right? You're maybe four years away from a really big decision about surgery.
So, that decision, to me, is a decision that Jazz will make.
And that will be something that You know, we'll support her in whatever decision she makes.
You guys take a lot of criticism.
You've heard it all, right? You've heard people say, "how could you possibly know?" "Parents can't possibly know when a kid is that young.
" "Parents are pushing their kids.
" But those people haven't walked in our shoes as parents.
And they haven't walked in Jazz's shoes as a child.
And they really don't know what they're talking about.
They don't know.
In fact, you know And I wouldn't know what they're talking about if they were telling me their family's story.
You know, I don't say anything, but I'm like, "if somebody told you your kid had a 50% chance to attempt suicide if you allow them to go down the path that you think is right, then, you know, what would you do?" You want to go the other path, the path where your kid is happy.
I mean, who wants to play with those odds? I wasn't about to.
Snow: Coming up I was very surprised.
I had no idea.
She looked so much like a girl, I never would have guessed it.
And later She doesn't really need a special guy.
And if it were a girlfriend? So, we don't have a space in this culture for gender freedom, for people to live authentically in their gender, and it's still socially sanctioned to make fun of trans people.
And I believe we need to begin to create space in this culture where that is not okay.
Snow: Transgender activists like Laverne Cox, Chaz Bono, and Janet Mock have all spoken out about having to endure public criticism and hate.
And now, so has Jazz Jennings.
"Someone please shoot it.
If not, I'm going to kill it myself and make it die a horrible, painful death.
" What the hell? Is "it" referring to you? Yeah.
People magazine wrote an article about you recently, and we were looking at some of the comments that people wrote.
They're pretty harsh.
People are mean.
Do you read those comments? And what do you say back to them? I do read the comments sometimes, just to get a glimpse and see where people are at and what they don't understand.
It frustrates me sometimes, because, you know, sometimes, I feel like, you know, things aren't gonna get better, that people are always gonna be cruel, people are always gonna be hateful, and no matter what I do, it's not gonna change anything in the long run.
But I tell myself I can just change stuff just a little bit, then it's all been worth it.
Snow: Jazz isn't the only one dealing with backlash.
Her grandparents say some of the negative reaction has occurred much closer to home.
It's frustrating when you do come across people who can't even say "Jazz.
" They go back to the original birth name.
And then, if you're bringing something out, a picture, or you want to say something, they'll leave the room or change the subject.
These are friends of yours? Well, people who we know.
We'll leave it open as that.
Friends and other strangers.
I don't want to get more specific.
I don't want to finger-point, but I certainly have run into it, and it took me a little bit to understand that I was all excited and wanted to share something, and the subject was changed.
And then I tried it again, and the subject was changed.
And I thought I was dealing with a more liberal person, and I found out I wasn't.
And I backed off.
When family members or friends aren't accepting, what do you do? - I back off, as well.
- Now.
Most of our friends have been around for a while, just as we have, and they've picked up their value system.
It's very hard to change these types of value systems at this stage of the game.
Some of them haven't thought about it.
I think others may be backing off because they're uncomfortable, and they don't know what to say.
I think some of our friends may back off because they think that Jazz should not be a public figure, and I understand that.
Shouldn't be so public, shouldn't be in the media, shouldn't have a reality TV show.
Right.
And that's a very acceptable opinion, as far as I'm concerned.
They're not bad people.
They just That's their value system.
"Don't expose your children or your grandchildren to any form of danger.
" That's acceptable.
There are the transphobes out there that I do have a tremendous animosity for because it comes from ignorance, it comes from some kind of internal hate that they have, either for themselves or for the world.
I just don't know that.
Not everybody in the extended family has the same comfort level.
- No.
- Or no level at all.
It's interesting that some family members don't ever bring up the topic or ever talk about it.
And maybe it's just as well, because I think what would come out of their mouths may represent their thoughts, which might not be too pleasant to discuss.
Might be hurtful to Jazz.
Hurtful to the family, yes.
To all of us.
More so than her grandparents or even her parents, Jazz seems able to take much of the negative reaction in stride.
There was a scene in the series where you and your mom were sitting at a restaurant, and a young man walks by.
- What did he just say? - Stop.
Mom.
Stop.
Your mom looked like she wanted to jump out of her chair and chase him down the block.
Yeah, she was about to jump out of the chair, and you know, my family, they do get very protective over me.
When I hear comments like that, I'm just kind of like, "oh, it doesn't matter.
" Really? Do you let it bounce off of you now? Everyone thinks I lie when I say this, but the truth is when I see hateful comments, it doesn't affect me.
If people are gonna judge me without fully understanding the content of my character, then their opinion just isn't worth it.
And I'm not gonna let them bother me at all or bring me down because I have to have a positive attitude and keep moving forward.
Snow: With her family's support, Jazz has managed to turn some of the negativity and challenges into actual change.
When I was eight years old, I was banned from playing girls' soccer because I was transgender.
And, you know, the state thought I had an advantage because I was a "boy.
" It was really heartbreaking for me, and I was allowed to practice, but during the games, I had to sit on the bench.
It was terrible, and you know, we tried so many different things.
At one point in time, I was playing on the boys' soccer team.
And that was just That was terrible, as well.
And after a two-year-long battle, the U.
S.
Soccer Federation passed a trans-inclusive policy in which all transgender players can play soccer.
Not every sport, not every state has inclusive policies now, right? There are a lot of states where transgender kids are not allowed to play on the team that they identify with.
I feel that it's one thing if society understands, but there's also laws that have to passed in which, you know, include us as normal people and, you know, guarantee our rights to just be who we are.
So, it's definitely important that we have those political movements as well.
Something as simple as using the bathroom has become a political football.
I mean, there are states arguing about whether transgender kids can use the bathroom of the gender they identify with.
Yeah, in my state, they wanted to pass a policy in which transgender individuals weren't allowed to use the bathroom, and there was this article that said one of the senators wants to, you know, potentially "put Jazz Jennings in jail.
" That's what they said.
Florida lawmakers this spring tried to push forward a law that would have prohibited you from going to the girls' bathroom.
And I remember, you know, throughout elementary school, I wasn't allowed to use the bathroom, and in second grade, I actually snuck in and got in trouble.
You got in trouble for using the girls' bathroom? I got in trouble, and you know, that was the first time I realize that things are just not fair and people can be cruel sometimes.
You know, before that, I thought the world was perfect.
Everything is great.
But then I realized, you know, people won't let me use the bathroom.
Like, this is crazy.
I just want to pee in peace.
[Chuckles.]
There are a lot of parents You know there are a lot of parents out there, though, who worry about this stuff.
Like, "well, if my daughter's in the bathroom - and Jazz comes in" - Yep.
I'm a sexual predator.
What do you say to those folks? What do you say to people who think that it's not right for you to use the girl's room? I just I don't understand.
They think I will do something terrible to their little girls if there's a boy in the bathroom, and this is just a bathroom we're talking about.
It really annoys me, and I feel that it shouldn't be a big deal at all.
Snow: Coming up She isn't quite like the other girls, and it's just gonna get worse, 'cause everybody's gonna start pairing off and dating.
You don't even have to date me, but you can't even be my friend? [Laughter.]
I think a few of us are boy crazy here.
[Laughter.]
Snow: Few things are as important to a teenage girl as her inner circle.
You have a good group of friends, right? I have a great group of friends, and they are the ones who really just love me for who I am, it's incredible.
Sometimes, I even forget that I'm transgender, and they just think I'm a normal girl.
And they're like they're talking about their periods.
They're like, "Jazz, when did you get your period?" Or whatever.
I'm like, "uh Guys, hello?" And they just kind of laugh and forget.
But I always remind them.
Snow: In fact, some of Jazz's closest friends say they didn't even know she was transgender until they saw some of the YouTube videos she posted online.
I think I remember one day in fifth grade, someone came up to me.
Like, I wasn't friends with Jazz, but someone came up to me, and they're like, "did you know that Jazz is a boy?" I'm like, "there's no way," like, "that not true.
" And I was like, "I don't think that's true," but then, like, we became friends in sixth grade, and then she told me.
And I was like, "that's really cool.
I'm glad you get to be yourself.
" I think I just watched one of her videos or something.
- I saw it on YouTube.
- Yeah.
And then that's how I found out.
I was surprised 'cause she looked so much like a girl.
I never would have guessed it.
So, I thought it was cool.
I think by the time I found out that she was transgender, I knew what it was, but I was very surprised.
I had no idea 'cause Jazz looks like a girl.
Jazz is a girl to me.
I'm mad because, like, the boys that we invited They were all being, like, rude about it.
Do you think it's because they don't want to hang out with us or because of me? I've actually heard one person come up to me and say, "how can you accept Jazz?" And I'm just like A lot of the stuff that we get is normally on, like, social media.
Yeah.
No one ever comes up to our faces to talk about it.
Apparently, a couple girls in our school actually called her an "it," I think last year.
That was really rude.
I've had to come to Jazz's defense a few times, because there's this one kid in one of my classes, and he's always saying such rude things to me about her, and I don't want to hear it 'cause she's my best friend.
He's always saying he would never go near her, like, when I'm around her.
If I was near her, he would never come up to me, 'cause he's, like, terrified of her.
She's really good with, like, the hate, I guess.
Like, she just doesn't care what they think.
Yeah, Jazz is very mature when it comes to that kind of stuff, and she knows that commenting back and saying things back is exactly what they want, so she doesn't do it.
People judge her before they get to know her, and they think that she has something wrong with her when she's just, like we said, any other normal teenage girl.
Snow: Bring a group of teenage girls together, and conversation very often turns to teenage boys.
It's an issue Jazz has struggled with in the show.
I don't even know how to deal with it, how to ask a boy for their number, how to start texting a boy.
Just say, "hey," and just start talking.
I'm different.
It's different for me.
Guys think, "oh, if I like her, does that mean I'm gay?" Are you thinking about dating a lot? The truth is, you know, I really When it comes to dating, I really just don't care.
I'm not the type of girl that needs a boy right now or really wants to rush.
You know, a lot of my friends, they want They're always fantasizing of how they want a really hot guy and how they want to, you know, get their first kiss and everything like that, but for me, it's just not about that.
I'm gonna go with the flow and wait until I find that special someone who looks at me for who I am on the inside.
Do you know if you like boys or girls? For me, my sexuality, I'm not really sure.
I don't know.
That's something, throughout high school, I'm definitely gonna explore more.
So, you identify as a female, obviously.
I identify as a female, but in terms of sexuality, I am unknown right now.
[Chuckles.]
Understandable.
You're 14.
You've got some time.
Exactly.
You know, I've never fallen in love, so I don't know who I would fall in love with.
You talk a lot about how some of the boys avoid you and they don't really They don't know what to make of you.
I don't necessarily need romantic, you know, attention from boys, but I definitely want to find, like, a boy who could just be my friend.
Like, I want to That's the That's where it kind of bothers me.
Like, you don't even have to date me, but you can't even be my friend? Like, I just I don't know.
Let's throw this into the mix.
Jeanette: Hmm? Uh-oh.
- Go ahead.
- Yes? Some guy comes along and finds her very attractive.
Okay.
And knows she's transgender.
Well, if he knows it, then that's half the battle.
And he doesn't care? That's amazing.
That's, like, a dream come true.
That's what we're looking for.
Jazz, as you head into high school, I know your mom often says, "if you're gonna date, you have to disclose.
" And tell us what you mean by that.
Disclosure before dating means that anybody that Jazz is going to go on a date with needs to know she's transgender.
It's a dangerous world out there, and you don't know what people are thinking.
And it's important for them to be on the same page with her, because if they have a problem with transgender people, you don't want to find out after you've been intimate with somebody.
They might harm you or reject you.
And do you really want to date somebody that has a problem with transgender people? It's something that needs to be out in the forefront, and not everybody agrees with that, but I think Not everybody agrees with that.
It's a safety issue, number one.
I mean, it's her life, and you don't mess around with that kind of thing.
People lost their lives because they were intimate with people and they didn't tell them.
And that goes a long way.
Well, I'm just thinking about, from Jazz's perspective, and you know, Jazz is living an authentic life.
She's sharing her story.
I would think she would want somebody to love her for exactly who she is.
And, you know, that means the whole truth, you know, and nothing but the truth.
If a guy doesn't like you for who you are, then they don't matter, all right? It's not that.
It's they're not worth it.
They're not worth it.
Snow: As for the older siblings, concerns about Jazz dating seem to have as much to do with her being transgender.
What's the consensus here about Jazz and dating? Are you guys scared of this prospect or are you anxious for her? Obviously, we're gonna be scared.
Any no matter If Jazz wasn't transgender, we'd be scared for her going into high school and dating.
But I think Jazz doesn't need that right now.
I think she has so much else going for her and so much on her plate right now that she doesn't really need a special guy.
But we'll be watching.
- Oh.
- We'll be watching.
The big brothers.
[Chuckles.]
You're gonna be at the front door, ready to Shaking his hand.
"Jazz.
Oh, you're going on a date tonight?" If they don't give a firm handshake, they're out the door already.
I'd love to meet the kid.
And if it were a girlfriend? We'd accept that, too.
Yeah.
But it's the same thing.
Like, it just you never know if it's gonna last, and in the end, it could hurt her really bad and, like, mess up her entire, like, self-love that she has for herself, and I don't want to see that.
- Her self-esteem? - Yeah.
Whatever she decides, we will obviously accept.
But we're gonna give her as much advice as we can, try to protect her before she decides to make her decisions on her own.
Snow: Coming up You think it's gonna feel like this was kind of a pivotal moment for the country? Snow: It's been a year of personal growth and change for Jazz Jennings.
And like any other teenage girl, her style has evolved, too.
So, this is your room.
This is my room.
It's definitely more of a teenager vibe now.
Oh, yeah.
No more little girl.
I saw, in the episode, you had all these sort of little-girl things that Was it painful for you? Yes.
She's my little girl.
- Okay, so, what? - Honestly There's a lot of work to be done.
I want to get rid of things like this and buy new things.
Didn't you buy that recently? No.
You bought this when I was 6 years old, Mom.
[Whimpers.]
Like, I'm ready to throw it out right now.
No, no, no.
No.
Don't throw it in the garbage.
No.
Please.
- That's new.
- Did that chalkboard wall.
Yeah.
And then, some of the furniture is new.
Did you do the splatter paint? Yeah, we did that.
- I like it.
- That was fun.
- Yeah.
- It's Nemo, right? - Nemo.
- Nemo? Why is he called Nemo? 'Cause he has you know how Nemo has the lucky fin? Yeah.
Well, he has one ear, so he's He was born that way, with this lucky His mother rejected him because he was different than the other ones.
Yeah, his family rejected him.
- She didn't want him.
- And he was on the roof.
How interesting that he ends up with your family.
"We'll take you.
You're different.
We want you.
" Acceptance.
Snow: These days, Jazz is preparing for another milestone in her life Freshman year of high school, a notoriously challenging time for teens who aren't dealing with a complex and often misunderstood issue.
Are people more accepting in high school? Because I'm transgender.
I'm not sure if all of you guys knew that.
How are you feeling about high school? You know, high school is definitely gonna be a new experience.
I'm not sure what to think at the moment.
Are you nervous? I'm not nervous.
I am more excited for high school, 'cause I'm ready to learn new things and make new friends.
And, you know, I'm hopeful that things will be good.
But I wonder.
Maybe people aren't gonna be accepting, and especially with the show, like, I'm not sure how all of my, you know, old friends are gonna react.
I feel like we're not gonna be friends in high school.
- What?! - What are you talking about?! - What do you say that? - I don't know.
I feel like you guys aren't gonna like me anymore.
[All exclaiming.]
I'm kidding.
I'm kidding.
I'm kidding.
We'll always be friends together.
Hug, hug.
Jazz! Ninth grade.
Nervous? Excited? Us or her? - You.
- [Chuckles.]
Um, I am nervous and excited.
And I'm also depressed.
[Chuckles.]
- She's your baby.
- She's my baby.
I don't know what to expect.
High school comes with a whole new set of challenges.
Like any kid that's going to high school, that is a change in their life, and it's pretty monumental for anybody.
And when you add transgender on top of that Yeah.
And, you know, I look at Jazz as somebody who could pretty much handle most anything that anybody can throw at her, so I feel pretty confident that she'll be fine with that respect.
So, that's, like, a small portion as far as I'm concerned.
We were talking earlier about, sort of, this moment that we're in, right? The conversation is definitely started on transgender issues.
People are talking.
What happens next? Well, the conversation really needs to start at the top.
You know, rather than everybody in different communities having to fight little battles, if the real leadership would just come down and just say, "this is the way it is," then everybody will follow.
So, our national leaders need to show some leadership.
They just need to make it the law.
One indication lawmakers may be paying more attention The 2015 State of the Union address, the first to ever feature the word "transgender.
" That's why we defend free speech and advocate for political prisoners and condemn the persecution of women or religious minorities or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
We do these things not only because they are the right thing to do but because, ultimately, they will make us safer.
Are you able to take a step back and think about what it's gonna be like when you're older, looking back at this point in time? Do you think it's gonna feel like this was kind of a pivotal moment for the country? Yeah, definitely.
I feel like, you know, right now, we're at the forefront of the civil rights movement when it comes to transgender individuals.
And I feel like people are finally starting to change their perspective in the sense that they're becoming accepting and loving of people for who they are.
And it's great to see that change.
And I hope, you know, in the future, when I have kids, I can be like, "you know, there was a time where I couldn't live my life as myself, but now I can just be me.
" And I want them to know that.
[Laughter.]
Jazz Jennings and her family sit down to talk about it all.
You guys have taken a lot of criticism.
Most people haven't walked in our shoes.
The early struggle We were in shock for a while.
I was thinking, "what does this mean?" Mission control, we have a problem.
Snow: The medical journey It's an implant, and it blocks male puberty.
When do you have to make a decision about surgery? Why not just let nature take its course? Because she might not be alive.
What Jazz thinks about sex and dating Do you know if you like boys or girls? I'm not really sure.
And the backlash Death threats? - Death threats.
- It's happened.
As the national transgender conversation grows louder There's a tipping point.
People's lives will be saved, and people will be helped by this.
Nothing is off-limits.
I wish I didn't have to be, "oh, hey.
I am Jazz, the girl that is transgender.
" I'm Kate Snow, and in this hour, Jazz and her family open up about not just their journey, but what they call the civil rights battle of our time.
Florida lawmakers this spring tried to push forward a law that would have prohibited you from going to the girls' bathroom.
Yeah.
"Put Jazz Jennings in jail.
" That's what they said.
In suburban Florida, a teenage girl gets ready for her close-up.
Yeah.
[Laughs.]
Hi! I'm Jazz.
14-year-old Jazz Jennings and her family have just wrapped up season one of "I Am Jazz," and little by little, she's getting used to life in the spotlight.
- She's a girl.
- She's a girl.
I am transgender.
Greg: We love her just the way she is.
I am a girl.
I am an artist.
I am Jazz.
The series joins a recent wave of shows featuring people who are transgender, including "Orange Is The New Black" and "Transparent," not to mention the similarly named "I Am Cait," showcasing Caitlyn Jenner's new life.
This has been an incredible year for trans advocacy and for progress.
You see Laverne Cox.
You see Janet Mock.
We're beginning to be seen as human, deserving dignity and respect like anyone else.
A year ago, nobody was talking about transgender community.
Well, it's always been out there, but in terms of, you know, how the public perceived it, it's been different.
Like, people have always been sharing their story, but now there's just so much visibility that people are finally starting to open up their minds and educate themselves on what it means to be transgender and, you know, who we are as a community.
Snow: Jazz's parents, Greg and Jeanette, say it was the debut of Caitlyn Jenner at the ESPY Awards on the same night "I Am Jazz" premiered that signaled a significant shift in the conversation.
There's a tipping point.
You know, for a very long time, we've tried to share our story.
But we really haven't been able to do it at the magnitude that Caitlyn Jenner was able to do it.
It was something that was ultimately necessary to tip the scale so that the conversation moved into mainstream America and everybody was talking about it.
Jeanette: Everybody in America, at least, now knows a transgender person.
Not personally, but can say, "I have seen a transgender person.
I know somebody, not personally, but I've seen their story of a transgender person.
" Caitlyn Jenner.
Seen Caitlyn Jenner's story, and I knew who Bruce Jenner was.
I mean, you know, people of our generation Everybody knew who Bruce Jenner was.
But before Caitlyn ever revealed herself publicly, there was Jazz.
Jeanette: Yeah, it was even before she was 2, because she was acting like a girl.
She was pointing to toys and asking for toys.
She was really verbal very early on, but as soon as she could put sentences together, it was like, "I am a girl.
" And you thought what? Just a phase, you know? "Oh, you know, maybe she'll be gay.
" I don't I didn't care.
I was like, "you know what? Kid's happy.
If she wants a doll, I don't care.
If she wants to wear the little plastic dress-up shoes" We have a picture of her.
She's, like, 16 months old in little plastic stilettos with the little boa on it.
But a lot of kids do that, Greg, right? A lot of kids experiment and want to play dress-up.
Yeah, no question about it.
Initially, we thought it was a phase, and I really didn't think much about it.
I was pretty oblivious until Jeanette said, "we may have a serious problem.
" And then we went to a doctor, and she was diagnosed as being transgender.
And so, that was pretty young.
- She was three years old.
- Yeah.
How long did it take the two of you to go from shock to full acceptance? Um, we were in shock for a while.
It was, like, a slow type of thing.
It wasn't, like, an overnight process.
They weren't the only ones.
Jeanette's parents, Jack and Jacky, also had trouble coming to terms with their grandchild's gender identity.
She got the diagnosis, and I was devastated.
Why devastated? I felt like an explosion was gonna be occurring in the family.
This family that really was delicious, adorable, our family, and now we've got a problem.
Mission control, we have a problem.
And where do we go from here? No road maps.
No one to guide.
Not that familiar with the situation.
How are we gonna handle this? What are we gonna do? Does a problem mean that, at first, you had a hard time accepting it? Oh, yes.
I-I still can remember being upstairs in Jazz's bedroom, looking down at then a very little person, and the tears would run down my face.
I just wanted to reach out, hold him/her, and say, "let's see what we can do.
" You know, "let's make it better.
" It was very unsettling, very difficult.
When you were standing there, looking over her sleeping, do you remember those thoughts, those emotions? Absolutely.
What what was it? What can you describe? I wanted to cry.
I wanted to stop time.
I didn't want the world to come in on her.
I wanted everything to be all right.
It was at a dance recital when Jazz was just 4 when Jeanette realized that her child was experiencing something far more than a phase.
She wasn't allowed to wear the tutu.
Yeah.
It was a nightmare.
[Chuckles.]
I tried to tell myself, at the time, when I watched the video I was trying to, like, almost placate myself.
Like, "oh, she's nervous or she's shy.
" But the bottom line was, she was pissed.
And then she got upset during the dance recital.
You could just see her kind of go downhill.
In the beginning, she was more smiley, and as it went on, you could see her looking around at the other girls, and it was obvious, looking back on it, she wanted that tutu.
And she wasn't verbalizing it at that moment, but afterwards, then when she told me, I'm like, "I should have pulled you off the stage and taken you home," or "why did I even put you in the class in the first place knowing that" If I knew, you know, how devastating it would be to her Is it hard for you now, even? Yeah, when I watch that video, it's always fresh again.
Just looking at her little face, like, and she's just snapping her finger and tapping her toe, and all the other girls are doing this dance and all over the stage.
She wouldn't move.
And that was her way, as a 4-year-old kid, of sending you a message.
Yeah.
Definitely.
Greg: Happy birthday! 5 years old, at her birthday party, she wears a one-piece girls' bathing suit.
I think that was the moment where where, really, we well, Jazz, with our consent, really shared with our community and everybody Our friends, the world That she's Jazz and that we were, you know, going to support her and love her.
Mm-hmm.
And we really didn't care what anybody thought about it.
There were no haircuts after that day.
That was it.
Like, she's gonna be a girl.
Say "cheese.
" Cheese! Do you guys remember being told by your parents that there was something different about Jazz? Do you remember that conversation? I do.
I kind of do.
I remember where I was.
My dad told me, and I was a little upset at first, but then he, like, explained to me how how tragic it can really get if we're not supportive and not there for her 100%.
But in the end, like, all he had to say was that it can be really rough, and I was like, "wow.
Okay.
I'm there.
" It probably wasn't a big shock to you all, right? 'Cause she had already been dressing up in clothes.
Yeah.
She always gravitated towards girly things.
For us, we wanted the boys to rule the house.
[Chuckles.]
So, when Jazz transitioned - You wanted a little brother.
- We were young, and the only thing we pretty much thought about was, "oh, well, this kind of sucks.
Now we have three and three.
" We always thought, "oh, four v.
two.
There's more boys than girls.
" But it wasn't like that anymore.
And obviously, as a kid, that's all we thought about.
But Jazz's grandparents, unfamiliar with the concept of gender identity, did understand that if young Jazz transitioned, she and they would face larger issues.
You wanted to protect your little granddaughter.
Yes.
We had our moments in our inside world, within this house, in the family.
At least, I did.
Were there moments of early embarrassment? Perhaps.
Perhaps.
The conversion from "him" to "her" and seeing all the window dressing at that point You just said Maybe embarrassment isn't the right word, but it's awkward, right? It's hard stuff to talk about.
"Awkward" probably is a better word.
- Awkward is a good word.
- We came out with I was more silent than Jack with certain people.
When Jack embraced it, he was able to take it out easier.
I quieted down.
I didn't meet somebody new in the market and say, "oh! I've got a message.
Let me tell you what's going on.
" "My granddaughter is transgender.
" "My grandchild's transgender.
" No.
I held back.
I-I let it ooze out of the tube bit by bit.
But we accepted.
We accepted because of Jeanette and Greg, too, and the other children.
Snow: Coming up Why not just let nature take its course and and deal with this when she's an adult? Because she might not be alive.
And later So, what do you say to people who think that it's not right for you to use the girls' room? Snow: That one-piece bathing suit marked Jazz's transition within her family.
A year later, she made a much larger debut, going public on the national stage with a Barbara Walters interview on "20/20.
" If people say to you, "are you a boy or a girl?" What do you say? - A girl.
- Mm-hmm.
You went really public in a big way.
Yeah.
Why make that decision to let a little girl talk to the world? My gut told me.
[Chuckles.]
I always say I go with my gut, but that was a really long process.
When ABC approached us, Greg was like, "absolutely not.
" - Really? - Oh, definitely not.
You were adamant, Greg? Yeah.
Well, I was concerned.
I thought it was an important issue.
I thought that the world should know that kids like Jazz existed, I just didn't necessarily want it to be Jazz and our family in the spotlight.
I was concerned for our safety.
That's a tough, controversial issue, especially at the time.
We didn't want to show our faces, use our names.
Like, "well, can't we do it and blur us out?" So, it took 10 months of talking to the network for them to finally get us to say, "okay, we'll do this.
" Jazz: I wasn't really sure what was going on.
I didn't know who Barbara Walters was.
You didn't know who she was? I thought she was my friend, 'cause I was six years old.
So, I'm like, "my friend Barbara.
" So, my parents, they told me that if I shared my story, that I could maybe help other kids out there who might be struggling who are transgender.
And once they told me that, I knew it was the right thing to do.
Snow: From the springboard of the Barbara Walters interview, Jazz began to take on a more public profile as a transgender child.
Hi, everyone.
It's Jazz.
Snow: It started when she was seven with a series of YouTube videos, then public-speaking engagements.
It's amazing to be here tonight representing all of the LGBTQ kids and teens out there.
Man: Okay, Jazz.
We're ready for you.
Snow: And now, "I Am Jazz" puts the entire family in the spotlight.
Jazz interview.
Take one.
Mark.
How did you decide, as a family, to do this series? You know, that was a very, very hard decision because this would completely, like, obliterate whatever normal life we had before.
It was definitely difficult, but we wanted to share the story, which is a message of love and tolerance and just respecting transgender individuals for the person they are.
It's not easy, though, right, to sit here? I mean, we're here with all kinds of gear in your kitchen.
It's invasive to do all this, right, in some ways.
Like, I don't know if "invasive" is the correct term, 'cause that's almost, like, unwelcoming, you know, type of invasive.
But it's definitely It definitely does put life on hold for a few moments, and we have to change things up a little bit.
But you know what? It's okay, and it's pretty fun sometimes.
Snow: While it took Jeanette's parents some time to come to terms with their granddaughter's gender identity, they are fully behind the family's decision to open up their lives.
Was it the right choice, do you think, for your family to be so public? - Absolutely.
Yes.
- Yes.
Why? Because Jazz is special.
Yeah.
I can't even add to that.
What's making you emotional? Because she's special.
There really was no choice.
I want to know why you're so emotional right now, Jack.
Uh, sometimes, they run away with me the emotions, yeah.
It's been a journey.
It's been a good nine-year journey.
And, um A lot of decisions are not made by us.
Most of the decisions are not made by us.
We ride the ride.
But it is what it is.
And I don't know if Jack would feel, if he could wave the wand and make it okay and not have been this way, how you'd answer that.
The same way Jazz would.
Jazz was once asked the question.
If a magic fairy could come along and give you a wand and make you whole as whoever you want to be, what would you do? She said, "I'd break the wand in half.
" Jazz has been very public about her transgender identity for years, but the family says the show has clearly reached a much larger audience.
After the show aired, we were walking around, and people were coming up to Jazz, and it was Jeanette: They recognized you.
We were actually crossing a street once, and there was a crossing guard that was like this, like this, like, "hey, Miss Jazz.
" [Laughter.]
"How's your day today?" Yeah.
It was pretty funny.
It was, like, just nonchalant like if she knew her, like, her whole life.
It was really cute.
It's weird sometimes.
[Chuckles.]
Yeah, weird to go to Hollywood and walk the red carpet, too.
I mean, you've had a lot happen in kind of a short amount of time.
Does it get overwhelming sometimes? Yeah, it does get overwhelming.
Are there days when you just don't even want to say the word "transgender?" You just want to, like, be Jazz and just I wish it didn't have to be, "oh, hey.
I am Jazz, the girl that is transgender," I didn't have to continue repeating the same things over and over again.
Of course, being transgender is something I embrace, and I'm proud of it, and it's a part of me.
I want people to know that there's so much more to me than that.
Yeah.
It's just one part.
It's just one little part.
Itsy-bitsy part.
Snow: Coming up It's a huge surgery.
It's a huge decision.
Yeah.
It's scaring me right now just kind of thinking about it.
Snow: And later Not everybody in the extended family has the same comfort level.
- No.
- Or no level at all.
Snow: It's the family's least-favorite subject and a very personal one, but it's something they know everyone is curious about The medical side of Jazz's transition.
It began when she was 11.
The hormone blockers are working brilliantly.
The hormone blockers suppress male puberty.
Then estrogen was added to her daily regimen.
- You're blocked.
- No mustaches, no beards.
- [Laughter.]
- Right.
You've been on hormone blockers for a while, blocking male puberty.
How's that going, and how long can you stay on the blockers? Well, I have an implant in my arm right there.
You can still see the scar.
And, yeah, it's kind of this metal tube that They put it in for a whole year, right? - Do they leave it? - Yeah.
It's an implant, and it lasts for about one to two years.
And, you know, it blocks male puberty, testosterone, and I won't develop as a male and have those masculine features of a beard and - And it's working, right? - It is.
It is working.
But I've had this one in for over a year now, so I think it might be time to get a new one soon.
You talk on the show about how you're also taking estrogen.
- Mm-hmm.
- Right? So, are you still Is this gonna be the way it is for a few years now, probably? Like, you're still gonna keep up this regimen for a while? Yeah.
With the estrogen, it's something that continues.
And then you kind of increase your dosages until you get to that adult level, and from then, you just mostly maintain.
When do you have to make a decision about surgery? You can get the surgery when you are 18 years old, and you know, some doctors do it when you're 16, but let's just say 18 years old, 'cause I don't think I would want to do it when I was 16 or 17.
But it doesn't mean that you necessarily have to get the surgery when you're 18.
You could do it any time in your life, so You don't have to do it at all, right? Or you don't have to do it at all.
Correct.
It's completely your own decision, and for me, I am definitely thinking about it, because that's in three years, like, three or four years, so I definitely have to start considering, you know, the surgery.
- And - But you're not sure.
- It scares me.
Yeah.
- It scares you.
It's scaring me right now just kind of thinking about it.
It's a lot.
It's a huge surgery.
It's a huge decision.
You know, you're really altering your body.
Snow: With no guidebook, Jazz's parents have had to navigate this journey largely on their own.
I think every parent, myself included, questions their decisions along the way.
Do you do you have moments where you think, "oh, my gosh.
Are we doing the right thing?" When it comes to Jazz and the way we've gone about it regarding her transgender journey, I wouldn't change a thing.
- Would you? - Yeah.
When it comes to the medical issues, we've been 100% on board, you know, with the decisions we've made.
And all of them were very deliberate.
You know, we took as much information as we needed to to take that step, so no regrets or nothing where we look back and say we wish we did something different in that respect.
So, now she's taking female hormones.
Yes.
Again, was that a hard decision? Was that, "okay.
The next step.
We've got to do this"? To me, that was a necessary decision for her mental well-being.
We did not want her to be frozen between being, like, a male- and a female-bodied person.
You know, blockers just freeze you, and you're nothing.
You're not developing as a male or a female.
And I think that's kind of difficult for a child to remain in suspended animation like that.
So, it was For her to go on the blockers was opening a new world where she could develop like her peers.
Why not just let nature take its course and deal with this when she's an adult? Because she might not be alive.
She might not make it to adulthood.
And she'll tell you that herself.
Going through male puberty would probably be the worst, most devastating thing that could happen to her, and then undoing male puberty is very difficult.
You can't take the height away.
Your brow juts out like this.
You can't take that away.
You have to get rid of the beard, which is very, very painful, getting your Adam's apple shaved, everything.
It's a huge cost, too.
Not everybody can afford that.
You can get female feminization of your face and you can look like a completely different person, but the cost of that's exorbitant.
So to have to put her through that would be cruel.
Cruel.
Now the clock is running a little bit, right? You're maybe four years away from a really big decision about surgery.
So, that decision, to me, is a decision that Jazz will make.
And that will be something that You know, we'll support her in whatever decision she makes.
You guys take a lot of criticism.
You've heard it all, right? You've heard people say, "how could you possibly know?" "Parents can't possibly know when a kid is that young.
" "Parents are pushing their kids.
" But those people haven't walked in our shoes as parents.
And they haven't walked in Jazz's shoes as a child.
And they really don't know what they're talking about.
They don't know.
In fact, you know And I wouldn't know what they're talking about if they were telling me their family's story.
You know, I don't say anything, but I'm like, "if somebody told you your kid had a 50% chance to attempt suicide if you allow them to go down the path that you think is right, then, you know, what would you do?" You want to go the other path, the path where your kid is happy.
I mean, who wants to play with those odds? I wasn't about to.
Snow: Coming up I was very surprised.
I had no idea.
She looked so much like a girl, I never would have guessed it.
And later She doesn't really need a special guy.
And if it were a girlfriend? So, we don't have a space in this culture for gender freedom, for people to live authentically in their gender, and it's still socially sanctioned to make fun of trans people.
And I believe we need to begin to create space in this culture where that is not okay.
Snow: Transgender activists like Laverne Cox, Chaz Bono, and Janet Mock have all spoken out about having to endure public criticism and hate.
And now, so has Jazz Jennings.
"Someone please shoot it.
If not, I'm going to kill it myself and make it die a horrible, painful death.
" What the hell? Is "it" referring to you? Yeah.
People magazine wrote an article about you recently, and we were looking at some of the comments that people wrote.
They're pretty harsh.
People are mean.
Do you read those comments? And what do you say back to them? I do read the comments sometimes, just to get a glimpse and see where people are at and what they don't understand.
It frustrates me sometimes, because, you know, sometimes, I feel like, you know, things aren't gonna get better, that people are always gonna be cruel, people are always gonna be hateful, and no matter what I do, it's not gonna change anything in the long run.
But I tell myself I can just change stuff just a little bit, then it's all been worth it.
Snow: Jazz isn't the only one dealing with backlash.
Her grandparents say some of the negative reaction has occurred much closer to home.
It's frustrating when you do come across people who can't even say "Jazz.
" They go back to the original birth name.
And then, if you're bringing something out, a picture, or you want to say something, they'll leave the room or change the subject.
These are friends of yours? Well, people who we know.
We'll leave it open as that.
Friends and other strangers.
I don't want to get more specific.
I don't want to finger-point, but I certainly have run into it, and it took me a little bit to understand that I was all excited and wanted to share something, and the subject was changed.
And then I tried it again, and the subject was changed.
And I thought I was dealing with a more liberal person, and I found out I wasn't.
And I backed off.
When family members or friends aren't accepting, what do you do? - I back off, as well.
- Now.
Most of our friends have been around for a while, just as we have, and they've picked up their value system.
It's very hard to change these types of value systems at this stage of the game.
Some of them haven't thought about it.
I think others may be backing off because they're uncomfortable, and they don't know what to say.
I think some of our friends may back off because they think that Jazz should not be a public figure, and I understand that.
Shouldn't be so public, shouldn't be in the media, shouldn't have a reality TV show.
Right.
And that's a very acceptable opinion, as far as I'm concerned.
They're not bad people.
They just That's their value system.
"Don't expose your children or your grandchildren to any form of danger.
" That's acceptable.
There are the transphobes out there that I do have a tremendous animosity for because it comes from ignorance, it comes from some kind of internal hate that they have, either for themselves or for the world.
I just don't know that.
Not everybody in the extended family has the same comfort level.
- No.
- Or no level at all.
It's interesting that some family members don't ever bring up the topic or ever talk about it.
And maybe it's just as well, because I think what would come out of their mouths may represent their thoughts, which might not be too pleasant to discuss.
Might be hurtful to Jazz.
Hurtful to the family, yes.
To all of us.
More so than her grandparents or even her parents, Jazz seems able to take much of the negative reaction in stride.
There was a scene in the series where you and your mom were sitting at a restaurant, and a young man walks by.
- What did he just say? - Stop.
Mom.
Stop.
Your mom looked like she wanted to jump out of her chair and chase him down the block.
Yeah, she was about to jump out of the chair, and you know, my family, they do get very protective over me.
When I hear comments like that, I'm just kind of like, "oh, it doesn't matter.
" Really? Do you let it bounce off of you now? Everyone thinks I lie when I say this, but the truth is when I see hateful comments, it doesn't affect me.
If people are gonna judge me without fully understanding the content of my character, then their opinion just isn't worth it.
And I'm not gonna let them bother me at all or bring me down because I have to have a positive attitude and keep moving forward.
Snow: With her family's support, Jazz has managed to turn some of the negativity and challenges into actual change.
When I was eight years old, I was banned from playing girls' soccer because I was transgender.
And, you know, the state thought I had an advantage because I was a "boy.
" It was really heartbreaking for me, and I was allowed to practice, but during the games, I had to sit on the bench.
It was terrible, and you know, we tried so many different things.
At one point in time, I was playing on the boys' soccer team.
And that was just That was terrible, as well.
And after a two-year-long battle, the U.
S.
Soccer Federation passed a trans-inclusive policy in which all transgender players can play soccer.
Not every sport, not every state has inclusive policies now, right? There are a lot of states where transgender kids are not allowed to play on the team that they identify with.
I feel that it's one thing if society understands, but there's also laws that have to passed in which, you know, include us as normal people and, you know, guarantee our rights to just be who we are.
So, it's definitely important that we have those political movements as well.
Something as simple as using the bathroom has become a political football.
I mean, there are states arguing about whether transgender kids can use the bathroom of the gender they identify with.
Yeah, in my state, they wanted to pass a policy in which transgender individuals weren't allowed to use the bathroom, and there was this article that said one of the senators wants to, you know, potentially "put Jazz Jennings in jail.
" That's what they said.
Florida lawmakers this spring tried to push forward a law that would have prohibited you from going to the girls' bathroom.
And I remember, you know, throughout elementary school, I wasn't allowed to use the bathroom, and in second grade, I actually snuck in and got in trouble.
You got in trouble for using the girls' bathroom? I got in trouble, and you know, that was the first time I realize that things are just not fair and people can be cruel sometimes.
You know, before that, I thought the world was perfect.
Everything is great.
But then I realized, you know, people won't let me use the bathroom.
Like, this is crazy.
I just want to pee in peace.
[Chuckles.]
There are a lot of parents You know there are a lot of parents out there, though, who worry about this stuff.
Like, "well, if my daughter's in the bathroom - and Jazz comes in" - Yep.
I'm a sexual predator.
What do you say to those folks? What do you say to people who think that it's not right for you to use the girl's room? I just I don't understand.
They think I will do something terrible to their little girls if there's a boy in the bathroom, and this is just a bathroom we're talking about.
It really annoys me, and I feel that it shouldn't be a big deal at all.
Snow: Coming up She isn't quite like the other girls, and it's just gonna get worse, 'cause everybody's gonna start pairing off and dating.
You don't even have to date me, but you can't even be my friend? [Laughter.]
I think a few of us are boy crazy here.
[Laughter.]
Snow: Few things are as important to a teenage girl as her inner circle.
You have a good group of friends, right? I have a great group of friends, and they are the ones who really just love me for who I am, it's incredible.
Sometimes, I even forget that I'm transgender, and they just think I'm a normal girl.
And they're like they're talking about their periods.
They're like, "Jazz, when did you get your period?" Or whatever.
I'm like, "uh Guys, hello?" And they just kind of laugh and forget.
But I always remind them.
Snow: In fact, some of Jazz's closest friends say they didn't even know she was transgender until they saw some of the YouTube videos she posted online.
I think I remember one day in fifth grade, someone came up to me.
Like, I wasn't friends with Jazz, but someone came up to me, and they're like, "did you know that Jazz is a boy?" I'm like, "there's no way," like, "that not true.
" And I was like, "I don't think that's true," but then, like, we became friends in sixth grade, and then she told me.
And I was like, "that's really cool.
I'm glad you get to be yourself.
" I think I just watched one of her videos or something.
- I saw it on YouTube.
- Yeah.
And then that's how I found out.
I was surprised 'cause she looked so much like a girl.
I never would have guessed it.
So, I thought it was cool.
I think by the time I found out that she was transgender, I knew what it was, but I was very surprised.
I had no idea 'cause Jazz looks like a girl.
Jazz is a girl to me.
I'm mad because, like, the boys that we invited They were all being, like, rude about it.
Do you think it's because they don't want to hang out with us or because of me? I've actually heard one person come up to me and say, "how can you accept Jazz?" And I'm just like A lot of the stuff that we get is normally on, like, social media.
Yeah.
No one ever comes up to our faces to talk about it.
Apparently, a couple girls in our school actually called her an "it," I think last year.
That was really rude.
I've had to come to Jazz's defense a few times, because there's this one kid in one of my classes, and he's always saying such rude things to me about her, and I don't want to hear it 'cause she's my best friend.
He's always saying he would never go near her, like, when I'm around her.
If I was near her, he would never come up to me, 'cause he's, like, terrified of her.
She's really good with, like, the hate, I guess.
Like, she just doesn't care what they think.
Yeah, Jazz is very mature when it comes to that kind of stuff, and she knows that commenting back and saying things back is exactly what they want, so she doesn't do it.
People judge her before they get to know her, and they think that she has something wrong with her when she's just, like we said, any other normal teenage girl.
Snow: Bring a group of teenage girls together, and conversation very often turns to teenage boys.
It's an issue Jazz has struggled with in the show.
I don't even know how to deal with it, how to ask a boy for their number, how to start texting a boy.
Just say, "hey," and just start talking.
I'm different.
It's different for me.
Guys think, "oh, if I like her, does that mean I'm gay?" Are you thinking about dating a lot? The truth is, you know, I really When it comes to dating, I really just don't care.
I'm not the type of girl that needs a boy right now or really wants to rush.
You know, a lot of my friends, they want They're always fantasizing of how they want a really hot guy and how they want to, you know, get their first kiss and everything like that, but for me, it's just not about that.
I'm gonna go with the flow and wait until I find that special someone who looks at me for who I am on the inside.
Do you know if you like boys or girls? For me, my sexuality, I'm not really sure.
I don't know.
That's something, throughout high school, I'm definitely gonna explore more.
So, you identify as a female, obviously.
I identify as a female, but in terms of sexuality, I am unknown right now.
[Chuckles.]
Understandable.
You're 14.
You've got some time.
Exactly.
You know, I've never fallen in love, so I don't know who I would fall in love with.
You talk a lot about how some of the boys avoid you and they don't really They don't know what to make of you.
I don't necessarily need romantic, you know, attention from boys, but I definitely want to find, like, a boy who could just be my friend.
Like, I want to That's the That's where it kind of bothers me.
Like, you don't even have to date me, but you can't even be my friend? Like, I just I don't know.
Let's throw this into the mix.
Jeanette: Hmm? Uh-oh.
- Go ahead.
- Yes? Some guy comes along and finds her very attractive.
Okay.
And knows she's transgender.
Well, if he knows it, then that's half the battle.
And he doesn't care? That's amazing.
That's, like, a dream come true.
That's what we're looking for.
Jazz, as you head into high school, I know your mom often says, "if you're gonna date, you have to disclose.
" And tell us what you mean by that.
Disclosure before dating means that anybody that Jazz is going to go on a date with needs to know she's transgender.
It's a dangerous world out there, and you don't know what people are thinking.
And it's important for them to be on the same page with her, because if they have a problem with transgender people, you don't want to find out after you've been intimate with somebody.
They might harm you or reject you.
And do you really want to date somebody that has a problem with transgender people? It's something that needs to be out in the forefront, and not everybody agrees with that, but I think Not everybody agrees with that.
It's a safety issue, number one.
I mean, it's her life, and you don't mess around with that kind of thing.
People lost their lives because they were intimate with people and they didn't tell them.
And that goes a long way.
Well, I'm just thinking about, from Jazz's perspective, and you know, Jazz is living an authentic life.
She's sharing her story.
I would think she would want somebody to love her for exactly who she is.
And, you know, that means the whole truth, you know, and nothing but the truth.
If a guy doesn't like you for who you are, then they don't matter, all right? It's not that.
It's they're not worth it.
They're not worth it.
Snow: As for the older siblings, concerns about Jazz dating seem to have as much to do with her being transgender.
What's the consensus here about Jazz and dating? Are you guys scared of this prospect or are you anxious for her? Obviously, we're gonna be scared.
Any no matter If Jazz wasn't transgender, we'd be scared for her going into high school and dating.
But I think Jazz doesn't need that right now.
I think she has so much else going for her and so much on her plate right now that she doesn't really need a special guy.
But we'll be watching.
- Oh.
- We'll be watching.
The big brothers.
[Chuckles.]
You're gonna be at the front door, ready to Shaking his hand.
"Jazz.
Oh, you're going on a date tonight?" If they don't give a firm handshake, they're out the door already.
I'd love to meet the kid.
And if it were a girlfriend? We'd accept that, too.
Yeah.
But it's the same thing.
Like, it just you never know if it's gonna last, and in the end, it could hurt her really bad and, like, mess up her entire, like, self-love that she has for herself, and I don't want to see that.
- Her self-esteem? - Yeah.
Whatever she decides, we will obviously accept.
But we're gonna give her as much advice as we can, try to protect her before she decides to make her decisions on her own.
Snow: Coming up You think it's gonna feel like this was kind of a pivotal moment for the country? Snow: It's been a year of personal growth and change for Jazz Jennings.
And like any other teenage girl, her style has evolved, too.
So, this is your room.
This is my room.
It's definitely more of a teenager vibe now.
Oh, yeah.
No more little girl.
I saw, in the episode, you had all these sort of little-girl things that Was it painful for you? Yes.
She's my little girl.
- Okay, so, what? - Honestly There's a lot of work to be done.
I want to get rid of things like this and buy new things.
Didn't you buy that recently? No.
You bought this when I was 6 years old, Mom.
[Whimpers.]
Like, I'm ready to throw it out right now.
No, no, no.
No.
Don't throw it in the garbage.
No.
Please.
- That's new.
- Did that chalkboard wall.
Yeah.
And then, some of the furniture is new.
Did you do the splatter paint? Yeah, we did that.
- I like it.
- That was fun.
- Yeah.
- It's Nemo, right? - Nemo.
- Nemo? Why is he called Nemo? 'Cause he has you know how Nemo has the lucky fin? Yeah.
Well, he has one ear, so he's He was born that way, with this lucky His mother rejected him because he was different than the other ones.
Yeah, his family rejected him.
- She didn't want him.
- And he was on the roof.
How interesting that he ends up with your family.
"We'll take you.
You're different.
We want you.
" Acceptance.
Snow: These days, Jazz is preparing for another milestone in her life Freshman year of high school, a notoriously challenging time for teens who aren't dealing with a complex and often misunderstood issue.
Are people more accepting in high school? Because I'm transgender.
I'm not sure if all of you guys knew that.
How are you feeling about high school? You know, high school is definitely gonna be a new experience.
I'm not sure what to think at the moment.
Are you nervous? I'm not nervous.
I am more excited for high school, 'cause I'm ready to learn new things and make new friends.
And, you know, I'm hopeful that things will be good.
But I wonder.
Maybe people aren't gonna be accepting, and especially with the show, like, I'm not sure how all of my, you know, old friends are gonna react.
I feel like we're not gonna be friends in high school.
- What?! - What are you talking about?! - What do you say that? - I don't know.
I feel like you guys aren't gonna like me anymore.
[All exclaiming.]
I'm kidding.
I'm kidding.
I'm kidding.
We'll always be friends together.
Hug, hug.
Jazz! Ninth grade.
Nervous? Excited? Us or her? - You.
- [Chuckles.]
Um, I am nervous and excited.
And I'm also depressed.
[Chuckles.]
- She's your baby.
- She's my baby.
I don't know what to expect.
High school comes with a whole new set of challenges.
Like any kid that's going to high school, that is a change in their life, and it's pretty monumental for anybody.
And when you add transgender on top of that Yeah.
And, you know, I look at Jazz as somebody who could pretty much handle most anything that anybody can throw at her, so I feel pretty confident that she'll be fine with that respect.
So, that's, like, a small portion as far as I'm concerned.
We were talking earlier about, sort of, this moment that we're in, right? The conversation is definitely started on transgender issues.
People are talking.
What happens next? Well, the conversation really needs to start at the top.
You know, rather than everybody in different communities having to fight little battles, if the real leadership would just come down and just say, "this is the way it is," then everybody will follow.
So, our national leaders need to show some leadership.
They just need to make it the law.
One indication lawmakers may be paying more attention The 2015 State of the Union address, the first to ever feature the word "transgender.
" That's why we defend free speech and advocate for political prisoners and condemn the persecution of women or religious minorities or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
We do these things not only because they are the right thing to do but because, ultimately, they will make us safer.
Are you able to take a step back and think about what it's gonna be like when you're older, looking back at this point in time? Do you think it's gonna feel like this was kind of a pivotal moment for the country? Yeah, definitely.
I feel like, you know, right now, we're at the forefront of the civil rights movement when it comes to transgender individuals.
And I feel like people are finally starting to change their perspective in the sense that they're becoming accepting and loving of people for who they are.
And it's great to see that change.
And I hope, you know, in the future, when I have kids, I can be like, "you know, there was a time where I couldn't live my life as myself, but now I can just be me.
" And I want them to know that.
[Laughter.]