All that Jazz

Transprogressive

BY AUTUMN SANDEEN

Saturday, April 20, I attended the GLAAD Media Awards with media credentials as a columnist at San Diego LGBT Weekly. I listened to the acceptance speech of Steve Warren of GLAAD’s board upon being presented with the Steven F. Kolzak Award, as well as listening to former President Bill Clinton’s acceptance speech upon winning the Advocate for Change Award.

Their speeches were heartfelt and meaningful, full of references about changes in mainstream media in portraying LGBT lives and how society has changed, and is still changing for the better, on LGBT issues.

Quoting President Clinton from his acceptance speech, “I want to thank GLAAD for the award and congratulate the other honorees […] I think that the staff, the board of directors and the most active supporters of GLAAD deserve the award I’m getting because they are the real agents of change. They had this idea, a long time ago, GLAAD did – there would be a lot of people lobbying Congress, but somebody ought to be personalizing and humanizing these issues for the LGBT community. They actually believed you could reach a human heart. They actually believed that people could think and feel differently.”

One of the examples I saw of society changing for me was found in meeting the Jazz of the Oprah Network’s I Am Jazz. She is a trans youth who is changing the perception of trans people in broader society. She has become a spokesperson not only for the authentic lives of trans youth, but also for how the authentic lives of trans adults are not just about sexuality that many in Western society perceive to be the most significant reason trans people transition. It’s impossible to realistically associate sexuality as being a motivating factor for why preteen trans youth socially transition.

I interviewed Jazz briefly as she walked and talked to reporters while traversing the red carpet. When I asked her how she felt about being such a high profile voice for the trans community she responded, “Well, I wouldn’t be in the media if it weren’t for the fact that I would be changing different lives for different kids … different people and their parents too. So, the whole reason I’m in the media is for that reason.”

Jazz was being escorted by Lauren Foster of the GLAAD Miami Leadership Council. She described what they do, beyond advocating for trans adults and youth as, “Putting the T back in LGBT.”

It’s Jazz who personifies for me the message of President Clinton’s commentary about GLAAD, “They actually believed you could reach a human heart. They actually believed that people could think and feel differently.” Jazz reaches hearts; Jazz no doubt has changed hearts and minds.

When it comes to why many of us trans activists and advocates press for antidiscrimination legislation based on gender identity, as well as for the ordinary equality of trans people in broader society, a big motivator is bettering the world for our next generation of trans people. Trans youth are part of our next generation, and doing our best to protect trans youth against public accommodation discrimination in the present, and housing, employment and public accommodation discrimination in the future, is a big part of why trans activists and advocates do what we do.

I’m proud to belong to a community that has Jazz as a spokesperson for our community’s youth, as well as being a spokesperson for trans adults like me. She teaches what trans youth experience can look like to a broader society that still doesn’t quite get trans people. Jazz humanizes not just herself, but she humanizes all of us in the trans community as she advocates for trans youth like herself.

Frankly I was humbled and honored to meet Jazz and her very supportive mom.

To Jazz, I have a simple message, “Thank you for all you are and for all you do. I appreciate it more than you’ll ever know.”