October Blog

Something that stood out to me this month is transgender culture.  Watching the clips from “I am Jazz” opened my eyes up to many things.  It is amazing that a young girl can be so confident in themselves after going through all that she did.  At an extremely young age, Jazz and her parents noticed that she was not supposed to be born a boy.  She had many feminine traits, and truly “felt” like a girl.  Completing the transgender procedures at that young of an age can definitely be risky and frightening, but her parents knew she was meant to be a girl.  Many people believe that transgender people are “fake” and that individuals only do it for attention.  Jazz’s story proves otherwise because she knew at a young age that she was not born the way she was supposed to be.  Clearly, this young girl was not seeking attention.  Many people who are also transgender are able to look up to Jazz because of how much pride she takes in her life.  She seemed extremely happy, which is rare for most children going through their identity phases.  The questions that the interviewers asked her were a bit strange, but she answered them comfortably.  For example, she was asked about sexual orientation and how difficult it is for her to talk to boys.  It was interesting when Jazz was texting a boy, and her mom made her tell the boy that she was transgender.  I believe that her parents are doing the right thing by having her explain her life to people because it promotes awareness.  Although it is sad that most boys would be uninterested in a girl like her, it is important to let them know instead of hiding it and being embarrassed by it.  Another part of the clip I thought was interesting was the discussion of transgender children and mermaids.  I had never thought of it this way, but I can understand why kids like Jazz like the idea of being a mermaid.  Mermaids have long, beautiful tails, and dressing up like one is a way for transgender kids to feel “normal” and forget that they are different from the typical child.  Because the talk of transgender individuals is a touchy, awkward subject, I believe more people need to be as open and confident as Jazz.  The only way to make others become aware and educated on transgender individuals is to normalize the topic and promote it in a positive light.  Unfortunately, not everyone is going to accept those in the transgender community.  Many people experience depression and other mental illnesses due to the fact that they are unable to express who they truly are.  Hopefully, one day, the transgender culture will be fully accepted and feel confident no matter what gender they are or are supposed to be.  Jazz is making a difference, and I hope others will, too.  I am fascinated by the concept, and I hope to learn even more about it.