Jazz Jennings is one of the youngest people out there who can say they've grown up publicly out. Jazz was introduced to the world as a precocious 6-year-old explaining what trans was to Barbara Walters on 20/20.
Today, Jazz is one of the most recognizable faces in the LGBTQIA+ youth movement. She has shared both the joys and pitfalls of her journey, even sharing her surgeries on her reality series, I Am Jazz. For her openness, Jazz has drawn the ire of those opposed to who she is and what she stands for. Still, she's kept pressing on with the support of her fans and close-knit family.
Variety spoke with Jazz just before her 21st birthday in 2021. At such a young age, she's become a spokesperson for her community, a responsibility she takes seriously while still managing to live like an average young adult.
Jazz Jennings has lived a public life since she was first introduced to the world at 6 years old on 20/20. At that time, the world didn't know much about transgender people, let alone how to wrap their heads around a transgender child.
Jazz appeared, unapologetically herself, through countless interviews, appearances, and eventually her reality TV series, I Am Jazz. By her side has been her family, who fights beside her in her advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community.
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"Our goal is always to help people, and to share a message of positivity, love and acceptance," Jazz told Variety.
"I think we're continuing to do that by sharing our story."
While Jazz has support at home, she knows the rest of the world has a way to go. She's horrified by the many bills poised to limit transgender youth from living their childhood as any other kid might. Jazz has seen that discrimination herself, being banned from a girls soccer team as a kid.
"As someone who has experienced discrimination in sports, it makes me feel terrible about the message that laws like this send out to transgender youth," Jazz told her Instagram followers.
"They may try to take away our sports, our healthcare, and our rights, but they can’t take away our PRIDE!"
"I was told that I was going to hurt the other kids," Jazz recalled of her experience.
"I had friends on the team. Those were my girls and my teammates."
Instead, she was forced to be on the boys team if she wanted to play. "Soccer was my favorite sport, my pride and joy," she said wistfully.
"It was just a way for me to release, have fun and just be myself."
The hate Jazz has faced hasn't been easy. Both she and her family have experienced frightening, isolating times, but for Jazz's mom, Jeanette, seeing how their story has impacted others makes it all worth it.
"When I talk to a parent that says to me, 'My child would not be alive today if it wasn't for you,' that makes it all worthwhile," Jeanette shared.
"To save a child's life, there's nothing greater than that."
Jazz, for her part, has learned to be more gentle with herself as she faces a constant measure of outside criticism. After a nearly two-year hiatus from filming, she resumed filming to produce the seventh season of I Am Jazz.
"I needed that break for my mental health and wellness, honestly," Jazz shared.
"But I have had that time to really use self-care to boost myself up and evolve and grow as a person. I still have so much more to go, but I just feel like I'm moving in the right direction."
Jazz has felt pressure in her role as a spokesperson for her community, but as the community grows larger, a weight is lifted from her shoulder.
"Definitely in the past I was the only kid or teenager who was transgender and so public," Jazz noted.
"But now there's a lot of different transgender teenagers out there who are sharing their stories. It's really cool to see that shift, that there's some new people out there."
In 2022, Jazz was readmitted to Harvard after deferring her 2019 acceptance.
"I'm not the only one who's trying to make a difference in the world," she noted.
"I'm just one person doing what I can to make a difference."
