Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen

by Jazz Jennings

Paperback, 2017

Status

Available

Call number

306.76

Publication

Ember (2017), Edition: Reprint, 272 pages

Description

Biography & Autobiography. LGBTQIA+ (Nonfiction.) Sociology. Young Adult Nonfiction. HTML:Teen advocate and trailblazer Jazz Jenningsâ??named one of â??The 25 Most Influential Teensâ? of the year by Timeâ??shares her very public transgender journey, as she inspires people to accept the differences in others while they embrace their own truths.   â??[Jazzâ??s] touching book serves as a rallying cry for understanding and acceptance.â?â??Bustle   Jazz Jennings is one of the youngest and most prominent voices in the national discussion about gender identity. At the age of five, Jazz transitioned to life as a girl, with the support of her parents. A year later, her parents allowed her to share her incredible journey in her first Barbara Walters interview, aired at a time when the public was much less knowledgeable or accepting of the transgender community. This groundbreaking interview was followed over the years by other high-profile interviews, a documentary, the launch of her YouTube channel, a picture book, and her own reality TV seriesâ??I Am Jazzâ??making her one of the most recognizable activists for transgender teens, children, and adults.   In her remarkable memoir, Jazz reflects on these very public experiences and how they have helped shape the mainstream attitude toward the transgender community. But it hasnâ??t all been easy. Jazz has faced many challenges, bullying, discrimination, and rejection, yet she perseveres as she educates others about her life as a transgender teen. Through it all, her family has been beside her on this journey, standing together against those who don't understand the true meaning of tolerance and unconditional love. Now Jazz must learn to navigate the physical, social, and emotional upheavals of adolescenceâ??particularly high schoolâ??complicated by the unique challenges of being a transgender teen. Making the journey from girl to woman is never easyâ??especially when you began your life in a boyâ??s body. Includes a bonus PDF with family interviews, letters, and Jazz's resources for navigating the transgender experience PRAISE FOR JAZZ JENNINGS:   â??Jazz is one of the transgender community's most important activists.â?  â??Cosmopolitan   â??A role model for teens everywhere.â? â??Seventeen.com  … (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
Having attended a Jazz Jennings interview during the American Library Association annual conference in June (and having scant prior knowledge of who she is–I’m probably the only such person in the world), I was impressed. She was your typical fifteen year old, other than the fact that she was
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being interviewed primarily regarding her LGBT advocacy. And while I didn’t have time to stand in the (long) line to get a copy of her book autographed, it sparked an interest. (Lucky thing I’m a librarian and can order books for our collection.)

I said in my post about Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnston that there are serious books describing various, sometimes debilitating, trauma experienced by victims of rape, bullying, etc. However, similar to Hermione in Exit, Jazz has the benefit of strong family and friend support and so her transgender experience is vastly different and probably vastly better than many young girls and boys in similar situations. Both books are very positive.

In Being Jazz, Jazz describes the early feelings of being a girl in a boy’s body, wanting to wear girl’s clothing and play with dolls instead of trucks. She describes not being able to use the girl’s bathroom (it was interesting that the Orlando Convention Center had several unisex bathrooms), not being allowed to play on the girl’s soccer team. Yet, in the background, her parents were fighting the fights required to change the rules. I’m sure many (most) parents of transgender youth don’t have the knowledge or resources (time and money) to do all that the Jennings did.

She describes the onset of depression and how she handles it. She talks about friendship and shows a lot of spunk and self confidence when saying if someone doesn’t love her for who she is, then the friendship isn’t worth pursuing. She talks about the awards she’s won and the people she’s met.

Despite her experiences and the associated maturity, Being Jazz has the feel of being written by a fifteen year old (there’s no ‘with assistance from ___’ in the credits) and that’s good because maybe other fifteen year olds will be inspired by it…more so than if an adult wrote about being transgender.

No such book would be complete without a resource listing. Being Jazz includes the following: websites, depression outreach services, books for kids, books for teens and adults, educational books for parents of a transgender child and movies/tv.

All in all, Being Jazz was an enjoyable and educational read. It could be and should be a primer about what transgender means and how trans kids are no different than any other kid, having the same hopes and dreams.
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LibraryThing member ewyatt
Jazz discusses her life (0-15) as an out transgender person. Her family has been active in working for awareness and equity. She has a very teen voice in her writing style. Her story is engaging and provides lots of insight. I was certainly interested in her story, but found the book dragging about
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3/4 way through. A helpful resource guide and interviews with other family members are also included at the end of the work.
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LibraryThing member benuathanasia
Dear lord, Jazzy is a perky little thing! She spoke about her childhood with honesty, candor, and humility. She's an amazing person, especially for a teen.
LibraryThing member christinegrabowski
I listened to Jazz read the book herself. It was fantastic. Very engaging and kept me interested. I learned so much about transgender issues, and I admire Jazz and her family for being so supportive of her from a very young age. FYI, I am an adult but believe this book is appropriate for tweens
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through adults.
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LibraryThing member acargile
If you are looking to read a memoir about a teenager, here you go! Jazz Jennings tells about her journey to be her “authentic self.”

Jazz knew she was a girl for as long as she can remember. She wanted to wear girly clothes and just basically be a girl. She knew she wasn’t what her body was
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born as. Her parents are very in tune with their child. Her father took a little bit more time to completely understand, but he was always supportive of her wishes and desires. They never seek to tell her she’s wrong, that she’ll grow out of “it,” or that she doesn’t know herself well enough as a child. They let her be herself. From an early age, Jazz seems to have a strong sense of self.

There are several takeaways that make this memoir worth reading. First, Jazz doesn’t let others “get her down.” She says that she doesn’t really have time to have other people judge her. What’s important is that she doesn’t put others down--she talks about people with excitement. She just wants people to be themselves and be happy and nice to each other. That’s a good lesson for all people of all ages. Second, Jazz isn’t pushing a political agenda; she’s telling her story and wanting to demystify something that most people wouldn’t understand because statistically, not many people are in her shoes. She doesn’t act like she is this amazing person with an ego; she comes across as excited about life and the possibilities it offers. A lot of teens would be arrogant if they were as famous as her. I didn’t get that vibe listening to her read her book. Third, Jazz’s parents are very supportive and they have raised her to confide in them. Their relationship is very open, and they tell her about challenges as they see that she is ready. Their main goal is to protect her and make a world that she can live in as the person she is.

Overall, this is an interesting memoir. There’s nothing to question or judge; it’s a story of a teen, like any other, who just wants to be herself.
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LibraryThing member readingover50
I will start by saying that I am a fan of Jazz Jennings. My daughter and I watch her show, I am Jazz, so I was already familiar with her before starting this book.

This book is a fascinating look at the life of a transgender child. Beginning with Jazz's early childhood, and continuing up until her
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teen years. Jazz was lucky enough to have an understanding family, but even so she experiences acts of prejudice. This book was really eye opening for me.

The book was written by Jazz, who was I think 15 at the time. So it is not as polished as some other books. The writing style often sounds like it was written by a teen. I listened to the audio version of the book, narrated by Jazz herself. At times her narration felt a little stilted, but overall, a very enthralling experience to listen to this book.
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LibraryThing member bookbrig
Funny, conversational, and really engaging. It was a mix of eye-opening and routine bits about teenage life, with plenty of big picture activism details sprinkled throughout as well. Some of the statistics are heartbreaking, even as Jazz's personal experience is often (though definitely not always)
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positive. I listened to the audiobook, but grabbed the paper edition to flip through, and it's worth picking it up to see the photos and interviews that aren't included in the audio version.
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LibraryThing member ToniFGMAMTC
I don't watch reality tv so reading this was my introduction to Jazz. It's awesome that she has been able to do so much for others who don't have the voice and support she has had. This was interesting to me but the best audience would be younger than me. It's about a lot of the things children and
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teens go through from the perspective of someone transgender.
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Physical description

272 p.; 8 inches

ISBN

039955467X / 9780399554674
Page: 0.9759 seconds