Being Jazz

I never would have been able to tell!” I was finally able to put my finger on it, and it’s something that anyone who is meeting a transgender person for the first time should keep in mind. Saying you “never would have known” is actually very rude. Being surprised that a person looks like the gender they are just reinforces a stereotype that transgender people aren’t usually attractive or able to pass, and worse, the stereotype that physical appearances even matter. A person’s true essence comes from within! I

The homicide rate for transgender women in America hit a historic high in 2015, according to the Human Rights Campaign, even with all the current support and visibility. Almost all of them were women of color, and the number killed was twenty-one as of November 2015—that’s basically two people a month, and the real number is likely to be even higher due to unreported cases. Worldwide it’s much worse: Between 2008 and 2014, there were 1,731 reported murders. That’s really terrifying, and a huge reason why I continue to be a public advocate and keep speaking out. Change happens through understanding, and one of my biggest hopes is that our next generation of kids will grow up in a world with more compassion.

Aranu’tiq” is a word that comes from an indigenous population in Alaska. It describes a person who embodies both a male and a female spirit, and Aranu’tiq people are considered very special because it means they can see beyond a lot of the normal boundaries of the world and view things in all sorts of different ways. “Two-Spirit” is a similar Native American term. Mom

I knew that getting angry was better than becoming depressed.

No one really knows why people are born transgender, but there are a few medical theories. The most talked-about one is that a hormonal imbalance during pregnancy might cause it. Some doctors believe it might be a brain structure thing. It’s even possible that it’s genetic. No one knows for sure, but whatever the reason, it’s real and no one’s fault.

Someone asked: If we were handed a magic wand and told we could suddenly not be transgender, and instead be placed directly into the body we desired, would we do it? The first guy on the panel, whose name was Adam, said yes, because he was a singer and had made the decision not to take testosterone because it would likely deepen his voice. The second person on the panel also said yes, because she wanted to have a baby someday but wouldn’t be able to because she wasn’t born with a uterus. I’d love to have a baby of my own someday, too, and the audience member’s question made me think of that old dream I’d had with the Good Fairy and her magic wand. But my life had changed so much since then, and all for the better. Before I knew what was happening, I started to tear up right there in front of the whole roomful of people. “I’d break the wand in half,” I said. “I’m proud of who I am.

No matter what path I choose, I do know one thing. I will never stop fighting for transgender rights.

No matter how hard I thought, my parents weren’t ready for me to socially transition in public yet. It was infuriating to me at the time, but I can appreciate now what they were going through. There wasn’t any sort of transgender visibility back then. They were on a road with no map and terrified not just of screwing me up, but of putting me in danger in a world where people wouldn’t understand me.

When did you know? I get asked a lot of questions about my life and that’s the one that comes up the most. The answer is easy. Ever since I could form coherent thoughts, I knew I was a girl trapped inside a boy’s body. There was never any confusion in my mind. The confusing part was why no one else could see what was wrong.