I Am Jazz is a reality television series on TLC about Jazz Jennings, an American transgender woman. The series features Jazz and her family "dealing with typical teen drama through the lens of a transgender youth."[1][2]I Am Jazz premiered on July 15, 2015.
Synopsis
Jazz Jennings, a South Florida teen, was assigned male at birth. Aged 4, Jennings was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in childhood, making her one of the youngest publicly documented people to be identified as gender dysphoric.[3] Her parents, Greg and Jeanette, decided to support her female gender identity by her fifth birthday. Jazz has been in the spotlight since 2007, when at age 6, she was interviewed by Barbara Walters to discuss her gender identity. She participated in follow-up interviews, launched a foundation, and co-wrote a book, also called I Am Jazz. She has also posted videos about her life on YouTube.
I Am Jazz focuses on the day-to-day lives of the "Jennings" family (the surname "Jennings" is a pseudonym, and any reference to the family's exact location is obscured).[4][5] Jazz, who was about to enter high school when the series started in 2015, grapples with the usual teen angst in addition to her own challenges as a transgender girl. Her family, which includes her three siblings, parents and grandparents, also talk about their experiences.[2]
One-hour series premiere. Jazz's family talks about Jazz's life, her insistence from an early age that she was a girl, and the struggles and confusion they faced. Jazz goes bathing suit shopping with Ari and struggles to find a flattering suit; Jazz talks with her brothers about her insecurities over her body. Jazz's maternal grandparents stop by and talk about their shock when they learned Jazz was transgender. Jazz and Jeanette visit the doctor to discuss results of Jazz's hormone tests.
Ari is coming back from college for the summer, so the twins have to go back to sharing a room; their parents let them and Jazz redecorate their rooms. Jazz feels her room is too girly and needs to match her age. Jeanette is emotional about Jazz growing up and no longer being her "baby." Jazz and her friends host a coed bowling night, but few boys come. She is hurt when she finds out one boy refused to come because she is transgender. Jazz talks about facing rejection as friends start dating, especially the ways boys regularly interact with her friends but ignore her. Jeanette is very worried about the social situations Jazz will face in high school.[7]
An accomplished soccer player, Jazz attends a soccer conditioning clinic in preparation for high school. Her parents and coach discuss whether she should try out for the varsity or junior varsity squad when she enters high school. Greg stresses that he just wants Jazz to be happy. Jeanette worries that Jazz, who was barred from playing in the girls' league for several years, is scarred from the experience.[9]
The 11-part series involved filming five days a week, including both days on the weekend.[77] The series was initially called All That Jazz, but was retitled to I Am Jazz. The show takes its title from a 2011 documentary, I Am Jazz: A Family in Transition, that aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network.[78][79]
On March 28, 2019, TLC renewed the series for a sixth season,[81] which premiered on January 28, 2020.[82] In June 2021, TLC renewed the series for a seventh season, with filming commencing the same month.[83]
Broadcast
Internationally, the series premiered in Australia on TLC on December 10, 2015.[84]
Reception
Critic Brian Lowry of Variety praised I Am Jazz, calling it a "sensitively constructed series (in an admirable departure for the attention-seeking network)... Simply told and heartfelt, the show should add a welcome dimension to the education process, capturing the challenges associated with sexual identity at such a vulnerable age."[85]James Poniewozik, in his review for Time magazine, stated that the reality show airing on the same network that recently pulled 19 Kids and Counting off the air feels like a "change of an era." Poniewozik writes, "I Am Jazz is an engaging story of a teen girl who has transitioned. But it is also the story of everyone else, transitioning."[79] Marc Silver of The Washington Post wrote about the boom of transgender-theme shows on TV, including Jenner's upcoming reality show, I Am Cait: "I Am Cait will surely attract more viewers because of Jenner's fame. It's too soon to say how Jazz will fare. But, with her humor and honesty, she's a tough act for Caitlyn Jenner to follow."[86]
