Anyone Watch "I am Jazz"?

[Sinclair]

I caught two episodes the other day for the first time. My concerns for her is that her mother put her on T-blockers at a very young age (6). How can a child 6 YO know if mom did the right thing? In the two episodes I saw, Jazz is a bit anti-social, has no interest in dating/sex, and gets into depressive moods, and said she hated herself. So, my concerns are she has emotional issues and the fact her mom decided to make her a girl before she could understand what that meant sorta pisses me off.  Other issues, since she was blocked at a such a young age, her penis never developed. It's literately an inch or two, with no testicle development. She says she has never had an orgasm by age 16. She says she wants a vagina, but 2 out of 3 doctors have told her she does not have enough material to do a penile inversion surgery. Her only option is to resection and reroute her lower intestine and hope for stimulation from the prostate gland.

I know some of you may disagree, but I find this as child abuse. There is no way in hell a six year old can understand sexuality in any meaningful way. Her mother created her, and Jazz is struggling emotionally. I feel sorry for Jazz.

This is not a post on being transgendered, it's a post about bad parents. Hey mom, it could have been phase at six years old? Or, did mom create this whole thing?

My experience as a social worker is I will not be surprised to see Jazz abusing alcohol and /or drugs in just a few years. Thanks mom!

As transgendered, this needs to be our choice. Not our parents when we are six years old.

[Dena]

Something is wrong with this story. T blockers shouldn't be used before the child starts puberty. A clitoris is possible and after she is off T blockers, the body may produce sufficient T for the clitoris to become functional. If not, a very low dosage patch could be used to provide sexual functionality. I find often that TV shows have a fair amount of misinformation and often it's because it's left on the cutting room floor.

[HappyMoni]

I disagree, respectfully. It is easy to judge from the sidelines. The thing is, it a trade off. She avoided all the horrible things that the male hormones would have done to her body. The price is a more complicated GCS. She is obviously transgender. She is also 16 and has all the emotions associated with that age. She says she hates herself at times. Well in my darkest times, I have said similar things. It is normal to say such things out of frustration. I think the parents are supportive and have asked for help to help guide the decisions she has made. Just my opinion.
Moni

[HappyMoni]

Something is wrong with this story. T blockers shouldn't be used before the child starts puberty. A clitoris is possible and after she is off T blockers, the body may produce sufficient T for the clitoris to become functional. If not, a very low dosage patch could be used to provide sexual functionality. I find often that TV shows have a fair amount of misinformation and often it's because it's left on the cutting room floor.

Dena,
   In  earlier shows they went into the considerations and decision making involved with the timing of the use of blockers. They waited I believe for the signs of puberty starting because there was a concern about her growth for one thing. With so little history of this being done, it sounded like it wasn't an exact science as far as timing.
Moni

[Sinclair]

I disagree, respectfully. It is easy to judge from the sidelines. The thing is, it a trade off. She avoided all the horrible things that the male hormones would have done to her body. The price is a more complicated GCS. She is obviously transgender. She is also 16 and has all the emotions associated with that age. She says she hates herself at times. Well in my darkest times, I have said similar things. It is normal to say such things out of frustration. I think the parents are supportive and have asked for help to help guide the decisions she has made. Just my opinion.
Moni

I agree that she avoided all the male development issues, as she passes very well at age 16 as female. The point is, her mom made the decision for her at age six. Are we really saying that six year old girls understand sexuality? They do not. I'm a social worker. Six year olds understand sex about as well as they do the difference between a 426 hemi and a Ford flat head V8. They just shrug. My point is mom made the choice, not Jazz. And Jazz, at six YO did not understand what that choice her mom made for her meant for her long term. She is clearly not happy in the episodes I saw. She has no friends, hates to socialize, and is exhibiting anti-social self destructive behavior. I got that from two episodes.

This is not about being transgender, it's about parents manipulating children.

[AnonyMs]

The point of blockers is that they are reversable. Stop and puberty resumes normally. The idea is to give children time to decide.

I watched a little bit of it, but couldn't stand that style of TV. I find it unwatchable.

[Dena]

One thing to remember is that Jazz could go off the blockers and return to normal male development at any time. The fact that she hasn't confirms that her mother may have acted in her best interest. The blockers buy a child time putting off the critical decision until they are old enough to fully understand it.

[Rachel]

I had a very small penis 3/4 of an inch penile tissue and very little scrotal material. Dr. McGinn was able to perform GCS on me using skin and the scrotal tissue. She used my whole glands penis and my GCS is unique in parts location. I had a two step GCS and after my labiaplasty I have a beautiful vagina. I had a 4 inch depth and am now at the second to last dot on #1 and #4 dilator buried. Dr. McGinn did not know if the graph would die.

When my packing was removed and the primary GCS operation closed in her office I was shown how to temporarily dilate 3/day by placing #1 dilator in my vagina and not to push. My graph was necrotic on top of the skin. After the graph took then I had 5 dilations a day and shown how hard to push. I also had to dry pack with a cheese cloth type bandage to remove the necrotic tissue. I also have a lot of scar tissue from piecing the graphs together but prescription hydrocortisone cream stretched the scars to alleviate the extreme pain .

I have awesome feeling in my vagina and clitoris. I have vaginal and clitoral orgasms and sometimes together. When I see an attractive guy I have what feels like an erection in my clitoris and it is wonderful.

One good thing about having a micro penis was it spent it's time in me and not out so it was less offensive when showering.

Jazz Jennings, she has a show. She has to make it real. Many people are depressed. Can you see her point that her girlfriends are going on dates and she is sad she in not. She never had an orgasm and does not like her genitals. Her parents need to sign off on an operation ASAP and let her fully transition. Then she will feel comfortable in her body and then have an opportunity to experience a partner.

I have never been able to watch trans shows as it is triggering. I have seen Jazz at work and at the PTHC in Philly many times. She was being a happy child with her friends at the PTHC. 

[Asche]

I caught two episodes the other day for the first time. My concerns for her is that her mother put her on T-blockers at a very young age (6). How can a child 6 YO know if mom did the right thing?

According to her autobiography, it ws more like grade 5 or 6.  She'd already reached "Tanner Stage 2".

That's pretty much when every reasonable guideline says to do it.

I think you must have misunderstood something.

In the two episodes I saw, Jazz is a bit anti-social, has no interest in dating/sex, and gets into depressive moods, and said she hated herself.

I've seen her in person. at the Phila. THC.  She seemed pretty social to me, goofing around waiting for the session to start, and then hanging out with friends afterwards.  She's not all that social with strangers, but that's pretty typical.  All in all, a pretty typical teenage girl, from what I could see.  More self-confidence than most, I'll admit.

Bouts of depression aren't all that unusual for teenagers, either.  If being a teenage girl is anything like what I've been going through the past year (transition), it's hell.  And dealing with transphobia in your daily life, plus knowing that there are people out there who hate you and will misunderstand or even lie about you and see you in the worst possible light has to take its toll, too.