S01.E10: Baby Jazz Is Growing Up

[radishcake]

Jazz asks a boy who is interested in her to go to her middle school graduation party. Jazz and her parents go to see the doctor and have to make a big decision

[winsomeone]

I hope Jazz enjoys the next few years a lot, because I have a feeling that in the not so distant future her life will not always be a good one.Right now, she is really cute and sparkly, but the older she gets, the more intolerant those around her might become..I hope not, but I think that will be the case.

[woodscommaelle]

Jazz to her dad when he says maybe no party: But that's not an option....I already started spreading rumors! I adore her.

Edited August 20, 2015 by woodscommaelle

[TomGirl]

Jazz is an amazing and beautiful girl. No doubt there will be bumps in the road for her, but I suspect she'll handle them better than most. The whole family grew on me over time, and I really liked them all by the end. Their love and support for each other is evident and strong. Despite some concerns I had in the beginning, I don't feel like this show was exploitative after all.

[For Cereals]

I think high school will be the hardest time for her socially and then get better as she enters college where kids start to grow a little more emotionally and start to think less about what others think. I hope she keeps her friendships intact.

I love how supportive her brothers are. I still don't get the feeling that the grandparents are completely accepting.

[Bastet]

Jazz to her dad when he says maybe no party: But that's not an option....I already started spreading rumors! I adore her.

 

My favorite part was her dad saying, "Okay, here's another option -- we don't have a party."

 

Who knows how many kids who didn't show would have had it not been filmed, and how many kids showed up only because it was filmed.  (If I was a parent of a minor, no way I'd be signing the release to allow use of their likeness on a reality show.)

Edited August 20, 2015 by Bastet

[CousinAmy]

I think high school will be the hardest time for her socially and then get better as she enters college where kids start to grow a little more emotionally and start to think less about what others think. I hope she keeps her friendships intact.

I love how supportive her brothers are. I still don't get the feeling that the grandparents are completely accepting.

I do. They have been involved in her life ever since she was a toddler. They seem like the kind of grandparents who only want their grandkids to be happy. To put it in context, I doubt my parents, born in the 1920s would have been as accepting. But Jeannette's parents are closer to my age, and we're a pretty flexible bunch.

[Human]

I can't stop laughing at Greg and the twins dancing.  The twins dancing is unsurprising.  Papa Jennings with his monotone voiced accountant styled clothes kickin it to whatever music was just amazing.  It was such a fast shot, too, as though the cameraperson and the editors didn't even notice what was going on in the background.

 

Also, when the girls were at the pizza place and they started doing the teen girl squeal - the kind that bursts eardrums - the people in the background were just continuing on as though they didn't even notice.  It was so out of place.  Where they eating in front of a green screen with the patrons CGI'd in?  Because no human on the planet will not at least flinch when they hear a teen girl squeal.  

 

I really hope this family does not sign on again with TLC.  There's the obvious part where TLC is a mega supporter of anti-LGBT rhetoric.  One show isn't going to erase TLC's shame.  There's also this issue where it's so apparent that this was filmed in the span of about one week and the final product makes it seem really obvious that for TLC this was a 'jump on the bandwagon' moment.  Discussion about transgender people and issues is finally finding a space in the public sphere and it just ends up looking like TLC wanted a slice of that pie.  

[whoknowswho]

I so agree with your comment.

While it's interesting to watch and I like this family immensely, I think Jazz needs to be herself and not on a TLC series- she's growing up, and needs to be a teen with all the angst--but the world doesn't need to watch her do it. I can't see how this will help her become more accepted by her peers.  Especially it being on TLC. One series about a transgender youth does not undo many years of Duggar bullshit. 

[winsomeone]

I can't watch this show any more. Jazz is already becoming a bit anxious about boys not liking her. Just think what her life will be like an another couple of years. I  feel so bad for her. Her parents stated that they would have to screen anyone who wants to date her, to make sure it is for the right reason...won't that be nice for all of them? And Jazz keeps saying that she wants big boobs..is that what being a girl means to her?

[Human]

Presumably she wants big boobs because she wants big boobs.  Kind of like how many girls and women want big boobs.  The way we define our genders is complex, multi-faceted, and changing.  

[briochetwist]

And Jazz keeps saying that she wants big boobs..is that what being a girl means to her?

 

I can honestly say that from the time I was 10 straight through to 16, I wanted nothing more than big boobs.  That's what being a girl means to most girls.  

[CousinAmy]

I can honestly say that from the time I was 10 straight through to 16, I wanted nothing more than big boobs. That's what being a girl means to most girls.

I developed much earlier than my friends - first period at 10, at the same time I started popping out of my blouses. My mom and our neighbor had to talk me into wearing a bra, and I was bigger than anyone else. At the time, it was a curse, not a blessing, because the boys made fun of me - they had a nickname for me, which I never figured out - "TM". This was in the late 1950s so it was just "boys will be boys." Over the past 50 years, my size has gone up, until I'm thinking about a surgical reduction.

Be careful what you wish for!

Edited August 20, 2015 by CousinAmy

[TomGirl]

You never figured out the TM? That would've driven me crazy!

[corgster]

I couldn't believe Jazz was shocked about underarm hair. Did her mother not sit down and explain, "Women have body hair, too"? This should not have been a surprise at her age.

[Bastet]

Yeah, in a family with a mother and an older sister - and, more importantly, a family in which bodily functions seem to be openly discussed - it was a rather silly storyline to have Jazz freak out upon finding underarm hair.  So are her girlfriends.  "I have to shave" is something of a rite of passage for both genders at that age; faces for boys, legs/underarms for girls.  While it's a double-edged sword for Jazz in a way it isn't for her cisgender girlfriends (because of the "is this just natural development, or a sign my male puberty blockers aren't working anymore?" aspect), the plot as presented felt forced.

[Scorpiosunshine]

I developed much earlier than my friends - first period at 10, at the same time I started popping out of my blouses. My mom and our neighbor had to talk me into wearing a bra, and I was bigger than anyone else. At the time, it was a curse, not a blessing, because the boys made fun of me - they had a nickname for me, which I never figured out - "TM". This was in the late 1950s so it was just "boys will be boys." Over the past 50 years, my size has gone up, until I'm thinking about a surgical reduction.

Be careful what you wish for!

I recall girls who developed much earlier and faster getting a lot of attention, and not always positive. My heart would go out to them, because even though I so desperately wanted my own breasts, no young girl wants THAT kind of attention. I remember the giggles and names and questions, but I was always the one defending people rather than offending.

You never figured out the TM? That would've driven me crazy!

Me too! My brain immediately went to deciphering what TM could mean. Sorry CousinAmy, but all I came up with is "titty machine", lol! ;-)

[bref]

I'm thinking it's short for Tits McGee.

[whoknowswho]

Yeah, in a family with a mother and an older sister - and, more importantly, a family in which bodily functions seem to be openly discussed - it was a rather silly storyline to have Jazz freak out upon finding underarm hair.  So are her girlfriends.  "I have to shave" is something of a rite of passage for both genders at that age; faces for boys, legs/underarms for girls.  While it's a double-edged sword for Jazz in a way it isn't for her cisgender girlfriends (because of the "is this just natural development, or a sign my male puberty blockers aren't working anymore?" aspect), the plot as presented felt forced.

I'm a 52 "cis" woman (HATE IT HATE THAT WORD!), and I still shave my legs and armpits every day  because it was absolutely a rite of passage in my generation. My husband has asked me why I bother, and I said as long as I have legs and armpits, I will shave them. It's part of being a woman to me, and always will be. But surely some day the frigging stuff will stop sprouting! I went through menopause years ago. Jazz is lucky in that she'll never have THAT problem! (by That I mean no menopause for her)

Edited August 27, 2015 by whoknowswho

[Human]

 

I'm a 52 "cis" woman (HATE IT HATE THAT WORD!),

I'm not really sure what your relationship is with the word that has led you to have such a negative response to it, but I'll just point out that it's your decision how you wish to describe yourself.  There is no reason for any cisgender or transgender person to include a cis- or trans- prefix if they don't want to, even in a discussion focusing on gender.

Edited August 28, 2015 by Human

[whoknowswho]

It's a holdover from I am Cait- where she kind of was sneery about the "cis" women, like they weren't sitting in the cool section. It annoyed me, and so does the prefix, if only because until 2 months ago, I had never heard of it, and I felt it was exclusionary.

Similarly, I had never heard of "THOT"-- "That Ho over there" until recently, and I had to run to the Urban dictionary to read it's definition, too.  That's the thing about language-- it evolves. And some of us are trying to play catch-up.  Figuratively and literally...

Shows like I Am Jazz help us to understand, in a way that I am Cait doesn't. I don't see that Jazz as exclusionary--but quite the opposite from Caitlyn's show. Jazz at this point in her life just wants to be a  included in her peer group like any other 14 year old does. (And get big boobs, like any other 14 year old!)   

 

 

 

 

[kandinski]

So,I quite like Jazz but her mother still rubs me the wrong way,she just loves all this attention.