Trans 17-year-old Jazz Jennings hits back at haters who called her parents ‘child abusers’
17-year-old transgender activist Jazz Jennings has hit out at people who insisted her parents are “child abusers”.
Jennings has been prominent in the media for several years as a transgender person, starring in documentary series I Am Jazz.
She is also the author of a book, ‘Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen’, that regularly tops the most-banned lists amid furious attempts at censorship.
Jennings is used to her fair share of transphobic hate, having lived as female from aged six.
Jazz Jennings (Photo by Lars Niki/Getty Images for NewFest)
But recently it’s targeted her family, and she is not happy.
In a YouTube video, she opened up about people who had sent abuse to her parents.
She said: “Don’t read the comments is my number one rule, but every now and then I have to look at them – because how am I going to figure out what to tell the audience if I am not seeing what they don’t understand? People can be ignorant sometimes.
“They don’t really know what they’re talking about, and the only way that I can address them is by seeing what they specifically are not grasping.
“What I see non-supporters saying is it’s my family’s fault, that they forced me into this, that they’re terrible, that my parents should go to jail for child abuse.
“That is just so freaking annoying, because my parents and family are the best people on the planet. That’s coming from me. They say the child must feel sad, depressed and abused, but I’m here right now saying that I’m not. End of story. Done with that.
“My family is absolutely incredible. They have guided me down a path of unconditional love and support.
“Without them, then I would be depressed and so upset and unable to express myself authentically.”
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She added: “Another thing I see haters say all the time is that I was too young to transition, or how could a child know who they are? I mean, at a young age I’m able to distinguish between a boy and a girl, and figure out what you gravitate towards.
“I was so feminine, off the charts – pink, purple, Barbies, dresses, everything girly, sparkles, mermaids.
“Even at that young age I was defined and knew who I was. I would refuse to leave the house in anything but girl clothes, and I was absolutely uncomfortable in my own body.
“I knew that I was different and something wasn’t right, and I expressed that to my parents. They didn’t make a wrong decision by allowing me to be my authentic self. All they did was listen to my voice and let me be the person I was telling them I was.
Jazz Jennings (Photo by Kimberly White/Getty Images for GLAAD)
“It breaks my heart seeing my family trashed and talked about poorly just because of loving me.
“If you want to trash me, that’s okay. I have a thick skin. My family is just as strong, but it hurts me more seeing people attack them, when they’ve done nothing but positive things for me in my life.
“I encourage all families to love and accept their child the way my family has. So many LGBTQ youth don’t have the family that I do, and they’re less fortunate.”
“We share our story to show the example of what should happen, the support that should be present. It’s not for so many people.”
A Christian reality star recently lashed out at Jennings.
Derick Dillard is married to Jill Duggar, a member of the evangelical Duggar family that spawned the infamous TLC reality series.
Responding to an ad for a documentary following Jazz, Dillard wrote: “What an oxymoron… a ‘reality’ show which follows a non-reality. ‘Transgender’ is a myth. Gender is not fluid; it’s ordained by God.”
He also referred to Jazz as a boy, adding: “I want to be clear. I have nothing against him. I only have issue with the words and definitions being propagated here.”
Dillard stars in Duggar spinoff series ‘Jill and Jessa: Counting On’.
It’s no surprise that the Duggar clan is packed with anti-LGBT views.
Duggar parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have lobbied aggressively against LGBT rights protections previously, campaigning against an LGBT anti-discrimination law by claiming transgender people sexually assault children
Ms Duggar said: “I don’t believe the citizens of Fayetteville would want males with past child predator convictions that claim they are female to have a legal right to enter private areas that are reserved for women and girls.
“I doubt that Fayetteville parents would stand for a law that would endanger their daughters or allow them to be traumatized by a man joining them in their private space. We should never place the preference of an adult over the safety and innocence of a child.”
The Duggars once called for Facebook fans to post photos with their spouse – and then deleted all the gay responses.
Meanwhile, Dillard’s brother-in-law Josh Duggar served as executive director of the Family Research Council – an anti-gay hate group that works to oppose LGBT rights across the US.
It later emerged that despite his work for the ‘family values’ homophobic group, Josh Duggar had molested underage girls.
An unsealed police report shed light on claims that Duggar had sexually assaulted girls including his own sisters as a teen.
Mr Duggar has since apologised for his “inexcusable” behaviour, and stepped down from his role at FRC. His parents later admitted they were aware of the incidents, but kept it hidden from the public for many years.
