02x01 - The Hate Is Real

[bunniefuu]

Jazz: 15 years ago, I was assigned male at birth, but inside, I always knew I was a girl.

I have a girl brain and a boy body.

Being transgender hasn't been easy.

You already have some breast shape.

We just have to make it better.

I get shy talking to gorgeous girls.

Wait, what?

But it's made me who I am.

I am Jazz.

♪♪

Mom?

Yeah?

Do you have the dry shampoo? My hair is greasy a little bit.

I actually have a few of your things here.

Dry shampoo.

Thank you.

Since Jazz started high school, there has been a lot going on in her life.

She's definitely gotten taller and filled out a little bit.

Um, but it hasn't been an easy time for her.

Where are my boots?

Okay, can we make your bed?

No.

Yes.

Who cares about that?

I do.

Jazz: At the beginning of high school, I was having a hard time, not academically but emotionally.

I was having a lot of mood swings, and it really affected my social life.

All right, I'll help you get ready here, 'cause I can see it takes 10 hours to get your boots on.

Yeah.

Jeanette: There's a big medical component to being transgender.

Jazz is on a testosterone blocker to prevent male puberty.

Then she takes female hormones to cause her to grow breasts and gives her some hips, like any other girl.

And those can have side effects of moodiness.

Oh, I'm out of medicine.

What?

You're out of it?

Mm-hmm.

Which medicine are you out of?

[Sighs]

The happy pills. I just took the last ones.

To complicate matters more, in sixth grade, Jazz was diagnosed with clinical depression, and she was put on antidepressants.

The medication does a good job of managing Jazz's moods, but with depression, it's always there, and there are times that she's struggling.

I got to call these into the doctor asap.

Are we ready to go?

Yeah.

♪♪

You guys walk so slow.

I have high shoes.

Hello.

Hi. How are you?

Today, we are going to the What Women Want Expo, and my oldest daughter, Ari, is home from college.

So, we're hoping to get a little shopping done and just spend quality time together, which is really important to me.

Do you guys see Ari?

Oh, there she is. Hola.

How are you?

Since Ari's usually away at school, we haven't been together for a while.

When she's at school, I'm super lonely, because we're definitely connected, and I tell her everything.

So, how's school been?

Mm. Good.

I'm top of the class, but it's only ninth grade, so who cares?

I don't really come down to visit very often, and since Jazz has started high school, I've noticed she's very introverted, and it just, like, worries me, 'cause she's just...

She's very emotional, and I just really want to be there for her.

Wait. Is this psychic readings?

Jazz loves psychics.

Hello. How are you?

Hi. How are you?

Hello. I'd like to get a reading.

Okay, so, go ahead. Have a seat.

Going into my psychic reading, I really have no expectations.

I kind of just want to hear something to reaffirm me that, you know, I'm going down the right path.

Well, the first thing that I'm seeing for you right now is that you have a long life to live.

I see many years ahead.

Okay. That's good.

Love is never gonna be a problem for you.

Okay.

You're meant to meet your soul mate.

And you're gonna meet this person at a very young age, actually.

Yeah.

A young age?

Yeah.

You're gonna be around a hottie little guy.

[Laughs] Okay.

Whoever likes you, likes you for who you are, not anything the way that you were born, not anything that you've changed.

God has created you one way, but you always felt very uncomfortable.

I can't believe you knew that.

I see that there's a lot of things that are unbalanced.

Yeah.

That is causing you to be in a little bit of a limbo.

Yeah, I went through a really hard time, and I'm still getting out of it.

I was, like, in a very dark place.

Jazz: Around the beginning of high school, I went on progesterone.

It's a female hormone that helps develop the breasts more naturally, but it caused this emotional downfall, where I was completely depressed and out of it.

How is she, really?

Well, it's back and forth and back and forth.

There are days where, you know, she'll say, "I'm not feeling right today."

And I'm like, "oh, geez.

Are we headed down that alley again?"

I took her off progesterone, but it's not like she woke up one day, "oh, I'm happy now."

You know, she was in pain.

She couldn't function.

Jacky: It happened to have been Jack's birthday time.

I went upstairs and saw Jazz in a fetal position, not interested in engaging, really at a depth that I had not seen her.

So, we're going to the doctor.

We're gonna go back in, and we're gonna talk about what's going on with the different hormones.

Jeanette: Jazz has had a bumpy road, and she's very sensitive to hormonal imbalances.

So, we're going to Dr. Charlton this week to see where the hormone levels are and to discuss what needs to be done next to make sure that she's in a good place.

I am absolutely freaked out about everything with her.

You're on high alert.

[Sighs]

♪♪

Jeanette: So, I have to stop at the drugstore to get this medicine as soon as possible, because she told me this morning, "oh, Mom, I'm out of my antidepressants."

It sucks to think that I have to rely on medication to be emotionally balanced.

My body is crap, and I feel it.

It's very, very clear when Jazz is not herself.

She... it's like a light switch.

Like, she turns off, she turns on.

Between the dr*gs that are given to her and their side effects and the depression that she battles, she's predictably unpredictable.

Well, is it 'cause you're feeling sick or just because of the lack of medication?

Just everything. Like, I feel crap.

You're out of whack.

Yeah.

I have moments where I'm completely overwhelmed by negative thoughts, and I start acting out.

I just do my own thing.

I do the first thought that comes to my head.

[Breathing rapidly]

Jazz, are you okay?

Why are you breathing like...

I was trying to make myself pass out.

Why?

It deprives you from the oxygen.

We know that, but what does that gain you?

What's the purpose?

I don't know.

Jeanette: I hate when she goes to a bad place, 'cause it's not pretty.

And I never know what's gonna trigger her.

The only thing I can do is be there for her.

♪♪

Sander: Griffen!

What do you want?

Griffen, could you get me a cup of water, too, please?

Since last year, a lot has gone in my life.

One of the major things that happened is I tore my A.C.L. in the championship football game when a kid came crashing down into my leg.

[Whistle blows]

I actually was considering playing college football, and to know that this injury might end my career was just like taking a whole part of my life away and throwing it in the garbage.

When you became a place kicker, I was like, "oh, I'm so lucky," you know?

My kid is the one that's probably the safest out there."

[Scoffs] You thought.

Greg: You know, it was really a violent hit, and Sander had to have surgery.

And it's gonna be at least six to nine months for recovery time.

It's his last year to play, and he's gonna have to sit on the sidelines.

They started telling me that "you might have tore your A.C.L."

And then, I remember when you came down there, I just started crying in your arms.

My dad was actually the only person in the family that attended the game.

Everyone else was off doing their own thing.

My mom was in New York with Jazz at a photo sh**t.

I just don't know what this means for my future.

Like, will I ever even be able to kick a ball again?

Griffen: Your knee's starting to get a little bit better.

You're not in that much pain anymore.

How would you know?

Greg: Sander does get depressed about the injury.

At times, he is lashing out at some of the family members.

Jeanette a little bit because she wasn't at the game.

We got to stay positive, and I believe that, you know, with the right healing process and the right physical therapy, you'll be able to get through it.

And you'll be able to be doing sports, you know?

Well, with that speech, I mean, nothing could stop me.

[Laughter]

♪♪

There she is.

Right there.

Hello.

Hello.

Jessica Herthel is a very dear friend of mine.

The prettiest woman in the world.

You look pretty.

And she's the co-author of Jazz's book, "I am Jazz," which is a child's book about a little girl who's transgender.

So, how's everything with you?

Things are great. My girls are great.

Obviously, I've been crazy with this Wisconsin book reading.

I read about it and I saw pictures from it, but we haven't really sat down and talked about it.

Jessica: In Wisconsin, in an elementary school, there was a 6-year-old student who wanted to transition.

The school sent home a letter saying, "we're planning to read this educational tool, a book called 'I am Jazz.'"

A few days later, they received a five-page letter from the Liberty Counsel saying that if they went ahead and read the book, they would face a federal lawsuit.

Liberty Counsel is the group that backed Kim Davis when she was refusing to issue same-sex marriage certificates.

So, the Liberty Counsel has become the embodiment of intolerance and ignorance and kind of misplaced religious liberty.

I mean, have you read the letter?

Yes.

In the Liberty Counsel letter, there's a long list of negative things they say about Jazz and our family that just aren't true.

They also called Jazz a boy, refer to her as my son.

We've never experienced discrimination like that.

This isn't some random person that's just sitting there, spewing hate all day.

It's a group coming after a child.

They've taken it to a new level, and I want nothing more than to look them in the eye and say, "what would you do if this was your child?"

Well, funny you should mention that, because I have a crazy idea.

What if we maybe gave Liberty Counsel the opportunity to meet you guys?

Maybe we could get through to them.

I've never had to confront a group like the Liberty Counsel.

They really hate us, and they really don't approve of what we're doing.

You know, putting yourself out there could get ugly.

I never see you really hanging out with, like, Brooke or Taylor anymore.

We're just not as close anymore.

Sometimes I feel like I'm a little left out.

No, you do the thing where you don't listen.

I want nothing more than to look them in the eye and say, "what would you do if this was your child?"

Well, funny you should mention that, because I have a crazy idea.

What if we maybe gave Liberty Counsel the opportunity to meet you guys?

Um, not one on one, something like a public forum, and just let them have their moment where they explain, and then we explain ours, and maybe we could get through to them.

I'm down. I want to do it.

Groups like that are sending the hateful message that you shouldn't live your life as who you are.

You should conform to the standards of everyone else around you.

And that is not okay.

This is a good thing.

This book is making a difference, helping other people out there.

It would have helped me back in the times when I was transitioning.

And if they could see that, then maybe they can wrap their heads around it.

I-I always want to fight, but I have the big hurdle named Greg.

Jeanette: This is the first time we're even considering doing something like this, and I know it goes against everything that Greg believes in.

He's going to say that confronting the Liberty Counsel's gonna get dicey.

Somebody's gonna get in our face.

But this is an organization that threatened to sue, so maybe it's time to stand up for what I believe in.

It might really be a turning point where we could get them to acknowledge that this is a losing battle, and maybe they'll move on to their next target.

I don't want them to move on to next target, though.

That's what they do.

Let's put them out of business is what you're saying?

Yeah.

♪♪

As much as I love you guys, nothing is better than food.

There's a lot of, um, skin on this.

I don't like skin.

It just doesn't look appealing.

Not healthy, either.

This is definitely a diet-buster.

Who's on a diet?

I am.

I don't have a diet.

You weigh as much as me now.

I weigh as much as you two.

Wait. You weigh the same thing as Griffen?

No, not the same, but pretty close.

You have to start eating healthy, Jazz.

With my hormones and estrogen, I just am always craving food.

I've been saying that I'm gonna start my diet tomorrow for like a million years now.

I think what we need is motivation.

If we have family competition where we put our work to the limit...

To the test.

I like that idea.

We could even do, like, final weigh-ins and things like that.

Oh, no, no, no.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Laughter]

Jazz, you know you're going to the doctor this week?

Yes. You told me like 50 million times, Mom.

And we have to...

You didn't tell me.

What's the next visit for?

To check the hormone levels.

Jazz just went through a serious depression, and she still has her bad moments.

So, it's important that we keep a close eye on her hormone levels.

That way, if things are going out of balance, we can do something about it before it spirals to a very bad place.

So, guys, how's the senioritis treating you?

It's only a mild case at the moment.

Yeah, it's a mild case at the moment.

We just finished all of our applications to college, so...

Now it's just sit and wait, right?

How are you doing in school, Jazz?

Uh, good.

I never see you really hanging out with, like, Brooke or Taylor anymore.

I mean, I do sometimes, but we're just not as close anymore.

So, with my core group of friends, we really haven't been hanging out that much since high school started because, when I went into the really dark depression, I kind of excluded myself from my friends.

And now we have these shifting schedules.

Rachel dances, I play soccer, and, like, all my other friends have something else going on.

And it's really hard to get together.

People are so annoying.

What do you attribute it to?

I don't know.

I would hate to see her lose a relationship with some of these girls.

I think they have her back, and they really love her.

I'm like, "what are your friends doing tonight?

Why don't you go text them?

Just show some interest and reach out to them."

So, have you met other friends outside of soccer?

Not really.

You have no interest in meeting new people?

I never said that.

I just said there's no one new for me to meet.

You don't know everybody in your grade.

Sweetie, I do.

[Laughs]

I don't know how healthy that meal was.

You notice there was one person that ordered something healthy.

You're looking at her.

Yeah, but you were picking at other people's things.

Yeah, I was. You better believe it.

You were definitely going after my smashed potatoes.

I'm really not looking forward to speaking with Greg about the possibility of meeting with the Liberty Counsel.

I know he's going to hate the idea.

There's something new that I wanted to talk to you about.

I met with Jessica just to catch up, say hello.

And she threw out something really interesting.

You know the Liberty Counsel?

Yeah, no. I'm familiar with them.

So, she thought we should talk to them, like, as human beings, and maybe we can actually do some good.

You think that you're gonna, like, have a conversation and they're gonna go, "oh, by the way, we retract all of our negative comments in the past."

No, but maybe they have never sat down and had a conversation with a transgender youth.

Think about that.

To me, you're giving them a platform by having this conversation with them.

And I'm not sure that I necessarily want to give them a platform.

Right. I understand.

And I'm not sure how...

But it's giving us a platform, too.

I'm not sure that confronting the Liberty Counsel is a great idea right now.

There are certain risks associated with going into the lion's den with somebody who's just spewing hate.

It does invite negative people to harass us.

If you were to say it was Jessica and you, I'd be more inclined to say yes.

When you start talking about bringing Jazz into that kind of forum where I know that there's a group that argue against our child and her essence, that's not an environment that we've ever really put Jazz in.

Jeanette's a big girl, and Jeanette can make her own decisions about whether or not she wants to argue with them.

But I feel like, with the rough start of high school, Jazz has been under a lot more stress.

I don't know. I have reservations.

She's always been a young child, but she's 15 now, and she can speak for herself and she can hold her own.

Jeanette: When Jazz was going through the worst of her depression, she really didn't want to do anything, didn't want to go anywhere.

So, the fact that Jazz wants to confront the Liberty Counsel tells me she can handle it.

If your estrogen/testosterone balance gets off, that could have dramatic effects on your mood.

So, the best move here would be to do a surgery to replace the implant.

♪♪

[Laughter]

Have you guys ever shopped here?

No.

Nope.

I've seen it. I, like, heard about it.

Jazz: Things with my friends haven't been the same since I went through a depression, and my mom is always telling me that I have to make more of an effort to be closer with them.

And she's right.

They're my friends, and I do care about them.

Oh, this is kind of cute. Except not on me.

I feel like Brooke would look good in it.

Yeah.

[Laughter]

Taylor: In the beginning of the year, Jazz, like, was kind of depressed, and, like, every time we would try to talk to her, she'd kind of just be, like, in her own little corner, just like...

You know, like, just looking, like, upset and, like, just miserable.

You know Joe?

Yeah.

I'm pretty sure he has a crush on me.

I think so, too, 'cause he always asks her for a pencil.

I was thinking that today!

He tries to be so serious.

You know when guys do that... They try to act so serious.

They're like, "can I have a pencil, Brooke?"

Not like that!

What is that?!

I don't know, but... I suck at imitations.

Guys, this is so much fun shopping together.

We haven't hung out in a really long time.

Yeah, I know.

I know.

Like, I don't want this to sound rude or anything, but, like, sometimes I feel like I'm still, like, a little out of it, like, a little left out.

Like, I heard you were talking to a guy.

It's not anything, like, official or, like, real.

It's, like, stupid.

I know, but I didn't know about that until, like, a week after, and then I found out.

I don't hear everything anymore, and I don't know what it is, but... I don't know.

No, but sometimes we tell you, and then you're like, "oh, yeah."

"Yeah, yeah."

No, no. I do. I do listen. I remember.

But, like...

No, you do the thing where you don't listen.

Like, you don't care about the drama, so I st...

And then when I did have something important to say, it's like I just got used to not telling you.

Jazz: During my down moments, I wasn't listening to them when it came to talking about dramas.

I didn't care that Sarah broke up with Jake, and I guess they thought I was ignoring them for everything.

And it was kind of upsetting, because I did want to talk to them.

I just wasn't really expressing that.

I-I feel bad, because you guys know I care about you and I love hanging out with you.

But I don't know.

I've kind of, like, distanced myself.

Yeah, but you've been acting different at school lately.

Like, you've been more, like...

You've been more yourself.

I've been more myself.

You've been more yourself. Yeah.

Jazz: I just want us all to be friends and close like we used to be.

Biker chick.

Wow! That's attractive.

This is my style.

No, it's actually...

That's cute!

That's so cute!

Where would I wear this?

You could wear it anywhere.

You could wear a little skirt with it.

So, do you guys think I should keep this jacket?

It's so hot.

Mm-hmm.

I love it.

For sure.

We know you hate it.

I'm taking it off.

♪♪

Look at this nasty bruise I have.

Is that why you don't shave your legs anymore?

[Laughs]

I need to shave them.

Stop! I know I need to shave them.

Jeanette: Today, we're meeting with Dr. Charlton to talk about Jazz's hormone levels.

Jazz has a testosterone blocker to prevent male puberty, and she's taking estrogen, which allows her to have a more female body.

It's really important for Jazz's mental well-being that those hormones are kept properly balanced.

Hello.

Hey.

Hi, guys.

Hi. How are you?

Good to see you.

Nice to see you, too.

Dr. Charlton: I'm Dr. Will Charlton.

I have been taking care of Jazz since before she started any medical treatment for being transgender.

I'm not currently her primary caretaker, but I am still peripherally involved because I've known the family and Jazz well for many years.

How's it going?

Pretty good.

You feeling good?

You definitely got bigger.

Your boobs.

[Chuckles] Okay.

So, now that they're actually getting to where you're happy, you're gonna start becoming shy about them?

Because I've never heard you be shy about boobs.

Well, they're ugly.

Everyone develops differently, but I was kind of hoping for the classic, like, beautiful boobs that you see on TV and movies.

Like, so... [sighs]

I want that little cookie-cutter procedure where they, like, take your areola and fix it up.

Okay. If she does get breast implants, what is the age for that?

My personal opinion is that you need to wait until you're done growing.

I just don't think you are.

So, I've been caught up on what's been going on the past few months.

And you were starting progesterone to have better nipple development.

Is that right?

Yeah, just overall breast development.

And that didn't go so well, huh?

Okay.

Transgender women oftentimes take progesterone to augment breast development, but it can lead to depression, mood swings.

Unfortunately for Jazz, the combination of all the medications have had a very negative effect on her.

The other thing that's throwing another wrench in the system is your testosterone is starting to come up.

And we know that your blocker implant has pretty much run its course.

Jeanette: Jazz has had the testosterone blocker in her arm for over two years, and they don't...

They're not really designed to last that long.

I know you're always worried about mustache and all that stuff.

Mustache. Yes.

And that's a legitimate concern.

But what worries me is that if your estrogen/testosterone balance gets off, that that could have dramatic effects on your mood.

[Sighs]

Dr. Charlton: Jazz is especially vulnerable emotionally right now, having just come out of this very difficult time.

And an increasing testosterone level definitely puts her at risk to have a downward spiral into another dark place.

Since you've just had this not-easy time, I really don't want to repeat that.

In order to maintain the balance, we need your testosterone to stay suppressed.

So, the best move here would be to do a surgery to replace the implant.

You don't care if there's somebody in the audience that blurts out something nasty?

Well, of course it's gonna upset me.

So, basically, you're trying to brainwash some of these kids.

In order to maintain the balance, we need your testosterone to stay suppressed.

So, the best move here would be to do a surgery to replace the implant.

To replace the t-blocker, the doctor has to go in through the same incision, take out the old one, and put a new one in.

I am worried to see Jazz have to have surgery.

Just that word alone is scary.

Uh, my husband's firm is changing insurance plans.

From what I see, they will not cover it.

Okay.

Those are all important things to consider, but the bottom line is we know those levels are coming up.

Jazz: I don't want to feel emotional and depressed again.

I got to this state where I was so emotional, so imbalanced that I felt like there was no reason for living for anything, for that matter, and I felt like doing awful things to myself.

It's hard to think that I felt that way.

We really need to get you safely through this next very important part of your life.

This surgery should really be done soon.

♪♪

[Telephone rings]

Jeanette: Hi.

We went to the doctor. We're on our way home.

He wants to swap out her implant.

I am concerned about insurance.

Jeanette: This procedure is probably the most important thing for Jazz's physical and mental well-being.

Because without the t-blocker, she will go through male puberty.

Her body will betray her, and she will feel off and weird and like, "oh, I don't feel myself."

And that's when she tailspins into the depression is when she feels off.

All right. I love you. See you at home.

You know how expensive the implant is?

Isn't it, like, a few thousand?

Like $20,000.

That much?

Yeah.

That little tiny piece of metal has changed your entire world.

It's basically like...

It's your lifeline.

My lifeline. Yeah.

♪♪

What are you doing?

I'm wondering why...

You're lifting your glasses, and you're...

You can't see up close?

It's really strange, 'cause I have progressive lenses, which means I got them so I don't have to do that.

But I'm getting so old and blind that I have to do that.

And speaking of old, look...

I just got in the mail today...

That.

Oh, nice.

I got my AARP card.

So, what's going on? Any new word on the town hall?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah? What's up?

We're going. We're doing it.

It's gonna be Jessica, me, Jazz, moderator, Liberty Counsel.

So, you really think you're gonna change their minds.

Is that the point of this?

I don't know. I think that maybe I can educate them a little bit about what a transgender youth is.

I don't think they're gonna change their minds.

I think their minds are long made up.

You don't think meeting Jazz can make an impact on somebody?

I do think that.

Okay.

I don't think with them.

I don't feel great about Jazz doing this thing.

Jazz, through her book, is a face to this issue, but Jazz shouldn't be the only person that has to ward off the enemy.

She doesn't need that kind of stress.

You don't care if there's somebody in the audience that, you know, just blurts out something nasty?

Well, of course it's gonna upset me.

In this instance, I really feel it's important to go forward.

Well, I told you I'm not gonna...

I'm not gonna stop you.

So, do you think you might want to come?

No.

Definitely not.

Please?

I do not want to do it.

Can I beg you?

No. I've already told you a hundred times.

I'm not going.

I'm not gonna dignify this group with a response.

Jeanette: I'm really disappointed that we're not gonna have him there to protect us.

I count on him as my spouse, and it would be nice to have him there.

We're gonna do the best we can to do it properly.

I'm hoping to walk away with something positive.

Jazz has gender identity issues. Drag queens don't.

I'm trying to understand this.

She still has a penis.

♪♪

Jeanette: I don't know how you're feeling, but I have to admit I'm nervous about meeting with the Liberty Counsel.

I can't believe they've actually agreed to meet with us.

I'm shocked.

I don't know how they're gonna react...

Like, what they're gonna say and what they're gonna do.

I'm glad we have Jessica with us, 'cause she's a...

She went to law school and she, like, could come up with good legal arguments.

You don't even sound nervous. Why don't you sound nervous?

No. I am nervous, but I'm kind of excited.

Like, I'm shaking. I'm shaking today.

I'm kind of excited.

Jeanette: I've never had to take on a group like this.

It's kind of like going into a battle and not knowing what kind of a*tillery they have.

I don't want them to say something that, like, might sound like it makes sense.

You know what I mean?

Well, they're gonna try to.

Like, what if they do bring up the biological aspect of it?

Like, how... they're like, "you're a male.

Your chromosomes, blah, blah, blah."

What if people are like, "oh, that's true. That's true."

Jeanette: I understand that sometimes people have a hard time wrapping their mind around, you know, gender identity and genitalia and how it all relates to each other, but they're separate.

Your gender identity is who you feel like as a person.

And your body might show something different than that.

I just don't want to lose my cool.

Should we have, like, a code if I think you're unnecessarily going too crazy?

Okay. What's the code?

"Stop." [Laughs]

♪♪

We deal with a large transphobic population that tends to denigrate anything it doesn't understand.

What's ever between your legs should match between what's between your ears.

There's no ands, ifs, or buts according to these people.

We don't know exactly who's gonna be in the audience today.

Needless to say, if anyone seems out of line, um, seems agitated in any way...

Hello.

Hey.

Hi, guys.

Hi. You look so pretty.

You look so great.

Hi, honey.

Good to see you.

So, there's been a little bit of a development.

Yeah?

Um, the Liberty Counsel just canceled.

They're not coming.

Wait, what?

What?

Are you kidding?

So, they're not coming?

Like, just now.

Like, what the heck?

I don't think they want to face us in any way.

We now have, you know, a room full of people who have come to see this debate.

I'm wondering if you would be willing to continue going through with this?

Um, yeah. There's still people out there who disagree with what we believe in, and I want to say what we can to maybe change their minds and make them more accepting towards our community.

Okay.

Right?

I really want to go through with it.

I believed in my heart that they were ready to have this conversation.

But at the end of the day, I think it would be hard for them to assert the positions that they do looking into the eyes of a child.

Good afternoon, everybody.

Thank you so much for coming out today.

We are all here to discuss this book, "I am Jazz," being read at elementary schools.

Now, the Liberty Counsel, if you are unfamiliar, sent a letter to the President of the Board of Education at Mount Horeb Primary Center requesting the cancellation of the reading and the discussion "to prevent disturbing children who will now falsely believe that one can choose one's gender.

This discussion violates parental constitutional rights to direct the upbringing of their children."

What do you three think about these concerns?

It's okay for people to disagree, and it's okay for parents, when their kids come home, to say, "in our family, we don't believe this is morally acceptable."

But what it's not okay to do is to tell the school that they can't take action which preserves the safety of their classrooms.

I want to hear from the audience.

I want to hear your opinions...

Pros reading the book in the school, cons of reading the book in the school.

I was a teacher for 35 years, and I feel that there are certain things that you need to talk at home with the parents.

Have you educated the teachers?

Um, I recently read the book to a classroom of graduating future teachers.

So, now this is being taught in graduate schools.

What grade are you aiming at to put this in?

It can go up from 4 to age 8.

4 to 8.

So, basically, you're trying to brainwash some of these kids?

Man: Oh, god, no.

Jazz, were you...

Did somebody brainwash you when you were 4?

Nope. Nope.

As soon as I could express myself, I instantly said that I was a girl.

I knew who I was.

I didn't let anyone else define me.

What bathroom do you use?

I use the female restrooms because I am female.

I think it's a sick thing, basically.

[Audience muttering]

Right. You're entitled to your opinion, sir, but it seems that the arc of history is not in agreement with your position.

[Applause]

Jack: When ignorance comes from a schoolteacher who teaches for 35 years, my god, this guy has the Internet before him.

He could learn all about it just like I did.

But this gentleman was totally ignorant and felt it should be taught at home.

By whom?

Thank goodness it wasn't taught by him.

I just want to say that, as an older transgender individual, I wish the book was there when I was at that age.

Um, I just think it's a wonderful thing, and I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

[Applause]

Jazz: This book is definitely not brainwashing kids.

It's helping kids.

And it would have helped people if we had it out there sooner.

Part of the letter they sent to the school reads, "Jazz Jennings is a male child transgender activist who has been permitted to undergo harmful gender-reassignment drug therapy and hormone blockers, resulting in permanent physical changes to his body."

Jazz actually is on these hormones because they are life-saving.

About 50% of kids like her will try to take their lives.

If she didn't have the hormones in her body that she has right now, I don't know where she would be at.

So, to call Jazz a male gets Mommy blood boiling, and then to say that I'm putting her at harm really makes the steam come out of my ears.

So, I'm gonna hand the mike to one of you guys right now.

[Chuckles]

Ma'am?

Hi. My question is for, uh, Jazz's mother.

I know I know gay people. I know I know drag queens.

And when they're done the show, they take off the costume, and they are still boys underneath.

And you had a boy born to you.

Drag queens are different. They are dressing up.

But Jazz has gender-identity issues.

Drag queens don't.

Doesn't that make her into a freak?

[Audience gasping]

♪♪

Drag queens are different. They are dressing up.

But Jazz has gender-identity issues.

Drag queens don't.

Doesn't that make her into a freak?

When you give her these hormones and then she has the other...

Does she look like a freak to you?

She still has a penis.

Moderator: I think it's important...

I love that we have different opinions, but let's keep it respectful.

Well, I'm being respectful. I'm trying to understand this.

Woman: No, you're not!

Maybe rephrase a little bit and not use the word "freak."

Jazz: This is what I want.

This is what I'm choosing, and I'm happy.

It doesn't matter what I have.

It's none of your business, anyway, but...

Amen.

If I look like a male, if I didn't feel comfortable in my body, it would be harder for me to live because I wouldn't be happy with what I saw, because that's my public appearance.

And I think you have to understand that.

Well, I apologize if I insulted you, but I still have a big difficulty with the issue of having everything...

And that's okay, but when you call me a freak, it takes it to another level.

Jessica: It was hard not to get out of my chair and go over to that woman and ask her to step outside.

But on the other hand, I think there's some value in recognizing this is how some people feel and then letting that person realize that, in this room, they are a very distinct minority.

Are there any final thoughts?

I believe that in being who you are, there should be no right and wrong and that I deserve to just be myself.

And transgender individuals are just like everyone else and that we deserve to be treated equally.

I want people to understand that the hate is real, and I hope that by speaking at the town hall, I was able to change the mind of at least one person.

People will ask me, you know, "what do you say to parents that are struggling and are having trouble accepting this and they don't know what to do?"

And I just peel it down to its basic roots.

And it's all about the love.

I mean, how could you not love your own kids?

Isn't that their birthright?

I mean, they come into the world, and that is your job.

And how hard could that be?

Jessica: Jazz and Jeanette were rock stars today.

This town hall represents the first time that we've invited an opposing view to come and meet with us in person.

I think this shows that we're not gonna back down.

We're not threatened by you, and we're certainly not afraid of you.

Thank you three very much, and thank you, audience, for coming to the town hall.

[Applause]

♪♪

Hey.

Hey. So, all in all?

Where do I begin?

Well, first of all, they didn't show up.

Oh, what a surprise.

Bullies tend to be cowards.

And once you meet Jazz and you talk to Jazz, it's very hard to make the kind of arguments that those haters make.

It was still an open forum where we had a chance to discuss some things.

Were you in a hostile environment?

No, no. Nobody was gonna hurt us.

Nobody was gonna hurt us, but there was this woman that came up, and she called Jazz a freak.

She just...

She just came out and just said, "you are a freak"?

I hate to say "I told you so," but, I mean, I told you that it's not just gonna be you get to say your position.

Would you say that's an environment we should probably try to avoid in the future, if we can?

It felt good to be able to challenge them back.

'Cause normally I don't.

Online, I don't answer anybody.

I'm hoping that Jazz in her jazzy way pulled at their heartstrings a little bit.

How was she feeling during this whole...

You know her. She's pretty resilient.

In fact, she was very mature about it.

I was really proud of her.

There's that side of Greg that's always there, "I told you so."

But I think this was a good thing.

We said our piece.

I'm gonna get something to eat.

You want anything?

No. I'm all right. Thank you.

[Sighs]

New message.

[Beeps]

Greg! Can you hear me?!

What's the matter?

This disgusting, awful, awful message.

Terrible.

Oh, yeah. Making tons.

That's really incredibly unnerving.

_

Tuesday, 5:28...

I assume you don't recognize that voice.

No. I've never...

Our phone number is unlisted, right?

I never, ever listed our phone numbers, ever.

Greg: When somebody puts comments on YouTube or on social media, it's not in close proximity to us.

But a phone call to the house... That's a problem.

We've always been concerned about that one crazy person.

I'm kind of waffling whether or not to tell Jazz just so she can be on guard.

Right. But I don't want to scare her, either.

Jeanette: The more visible we become, we might be throwing fuel into the fire.

It's always something way, way back in the depth of my mind there.

Fear.