25 young people making noise for social progress

Jazz Jennings

Jazz Jennings has helped so many transgender kids by letting people into her life and getting to know her.

Jennings first started speaking out about being trans when she was just six years old when she gave an interview with Barbara Walters. By 2007, she and her parents had founded the TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation to help trans youth. Then in 2011, she filmed the documentary I Am Jazz: A Family in Transition for the Oprah Winfrey Network. She’s also written the I Am Jazz children’s book and a memoir called Being Jazz. Finally, became a spokesmodel for Clean & Clear’s “See The Real Me” campaign and modeled for the NOH8 Campaign.

Jennings has also been politically active and has fought for LGBTQ rights. She fought the United States Soccer Federation, so she would be able to play on the girls’ team. As a result, she’s been listed on many most important people lists.

Jennings is most well known, however, for documenting her life on the TLC show I Am Jazz. She’s been incredibly open about her life opening up about everything from high school to having surgery. What made I Am Jazz so groundbreaking was that it gave people an opportunity to see what it’s like for a kid to grow up transgender.

“I definitely think it’s more important for our voices to be heard now more than ever because of this change in our government,” Jennings previously told Glamour. “The more we get our message [out there], the more people will [hopefully] become educated and realize we’re people, too. I’ve been busy with school and stuff, but I definitely feel like it’s time for us to take a stand and show that we deserve to be treated equally.”