S02.E07: We Scare Most Boys

[radishcake]

Quote

For the first time ever, a boy shows a romantic interest in Jazz causing her and her parents to question how she will deal with dating and sex as a transgender woman.  Meanwhile, the Jennings prepare for an intense physical test as they attend a mud run.

[stillhere1900]

Makes me wonder if the entire "Boy shows interest in Jazz" is scripted ?
 Jazz is a beautiful young lady but teenagers can be cruel. Jazz did say that boys won't ask her out because they think that kids at school will think they're gay.

[seasons]

It never dawned on Jeanette that this boy supposedly interested in Jazz might be doing it as a goof or a dare?Seriously? Thank goodness the grandparents are on board.

[PupCal]

There's an easy way to find out if Jazz's new potential beau is honestly interested. Ask her. Especially once/if it starts getting serious, I'm positive she'll have that conversation with him. (I had that conversation about once a month with my cis boyfriend our first year together.)

Uuugh that clip TLC keeps showing with Jazz saying she's not ready for sex and her mother going 'why not?'. Because she's 15 and is mature enough to know she's not ready for sex.

Edited July 21, 2016 by PupCal

[blatantlyobvious]

That was quite possibly the most awkward, staged, RIDICULOUS "birds-and-the-bees" talk I've ever seen or heard of.

Honestly, Mom & Dad have no idea what is taught in their kids' school district- with Jazz being the youngest of FOUR kids who went through the program? They never bothered to ask the other three what was taught? Plus, she's 15!! I'm not sure what the age of consent is in FL, but my guess is it's older than Jazz is now. And Mom needs to seriously reevaluate her approach, with "why not?" being her response when Jazz said she's not anywhere near being ready for sexual activity. I know full well how quickly that can change with a teenager, but come on... 

No conversation about protecting her heart, not jumping in with both feet with the first guy who shows her attention, no guidance on Jazz setting her own limits and how to resist the temptation to push those limits when you're "in the moment"- what was the purpose of that conversation? Obviously pregnancy is off the table, but I feel like they did very little actual parenting here. 

[seasons]

That conversation between Jazz and her new friends at the outdoor cafe made me sad. Ugh. I remember how awkward those years are just being that age and not knowing yourself, then trying to figure out others to date. I just wanted to hug them. It's so important to keep talking. It helps us to sort things out. As an adult, you know how rough it can be out there and you can't protect them from it all. 

[MegD]

Team Jazz? Really? Way to make a FAMILY event all about your daughter. I'm sorry, but Rainbow Runners is just as about Jazz.

Did anyone else notice that U on the University of Miami's hat was blurred out?

[mamapajama]

Love the grandparents!  Actually, I like all the folks on this one.  Rare for me to not be hate watching at least one person.

 I do agree that Janette does focus too much on Jazz, neglecting the twins and their needs.  I like her though. I find myself empathizing with her,as a mother.  My son is pan-sexual, a more difficult road than straight, IMO, but not nearly as scary (from the Mom POV,) as the path that Jazz walks.  I think Jazz is a very level-headed young woman, and admire her a lot.

I really like seeing that Noel seems to be warming up, and coming out of her shell.  I like her, too.  (jeez what a boring post.) 

[nutella fitzgerald]

2 hours ago, PupCal said:

Uuugh that clip TLC keeps showing with Jazz saying she's not ready for sex and her mother going 'why not?'. Because she's 15 and is mature enough to know she's not ready for sex.

Between this and the radio show caller who asked what a fifteen-year-old child would do about the "third date" I was beginning to wonder if I had wandered into an insane parallel universe.

[Bastet]

This was all so horribly reality show staged, but the tone in Jazz's voice when she asked, "So what are you doing in [my room]?" almost made up for it.  Her dad's "Can I get that in writing?" when she speculates sex won't be part of her life until age 20 or so was also a forced presentation of a genuine emotion.

Jazz has cat toys and trees in her room.  And they put Nero on the scale as part of the family weigh-in.  Cute.

I like these people, and I understand why they've decided to take one for the team and expose their lives in this way.  I'm just really uncomfortable with it, increasingly so as this series goes on.  The documentary was great, interviews have been great.  Even a short-run series seemed worthwhile given how few stories of transgender people - particularly transgender teens, and those who were fortunate enough to avoid undergoing puberty as the gender they were assigned at birth - are out there and the benefit that comes from people getting to know them through TV when they may never have such exposure in real life.  But this is really starting to feel more invasive than the benefits justify.

[mamapajama]

The threatening phone calls:  there was one creeper at the town hall meeting that had the same voice. He was talking a lot about issues Jazz might face at school, or policies specific to her school system.  He seemed to know too much, and, again had a similar voice.  TLC plant? 

[RemoteControlFreak]

6 hours ago, Bastet said:

Jazz has cat toys and trees in her room.  And they put Nero on the scale as part of the family weigh-in.  Cute.

You can smell their house through the TV. It's filthy, cluttered, and it probably smells of uncleaned cat boxes

[honeydo7]

Hi mamapajama! Those threatening phone calls are creepy!  Seems to me, only friends/neighbors/ teachers at the kids schools, would know so much about that family's daily schedule. And apparently, their local police can't help unless the caller shows up at their home threatening to harm them.  What's to stop such a hateful individual from going after the grandparents or their daughter Ari?  I contacted the network to ask what security measures (if any) are in place for the Jennings' but they never replied.

[operalover]

I don't know, I think everyone up in Jazz's business is so weird. A boy texts and everyone has to know about it, mom, dad, grandma and grandpa (petting and necking- Jeanette laughed at necking but Petting is even funnier!)

so anyway Poor Girl! I would have been mortified at that age. And the boy too agreeing to have his crush o

[woodscommaelle]

Good for the boys: Florida has become a pretty tough school to get into.

[Caracoa1]

How can a sexual relationship even be possible for Jazz at this stage in her life.  She is on blockers.

[ShaNaeNae]

On 7/21/2016 at 8:22 AM, honeydo7 said:

Hi mamapajama! Those threatening phone calls are creepy!  Seems to me, only friends/neighbors/ teachers at the kids schools, would know so much about that family's daily schedule. And apparently, their local police can't help unless the caller shows up at their home threatening to harm them.  What's to stop such a hateful individual from going after the grandparents or their daughter Ari?  I contacted the network to ask what security measures (if any) are in place for the Jennings' but they never replied.

 

I don't think you'll get a reply because a) it's not up to TLC to worry about security measures.  Her parents are the ones that put this all on TV.  If they're that serious about safety, they'll cancel filming, if allowed.  b) It is a reality show, we don't know how much is staged and c) I wouldn't be so open with what security measures are in place.  It's useful information for the one doing the calls.

Anyway, also weird how her mom said, "you've been out of the dating scene for a while"  Dating scene?  She's 15!  Jeanette just weirds me out. 

[DNR]

Jeanette is a total helicopter Mom. I sure as hell wouldn't be asking my young teenager '" why?" wouldn't they be sexually active. What in the hell.

On a shallow note, Jazz' friend Maya was so pretty. Navigating your way thru dating & first love is hard enough when you're not Trans, I can't imagine how tough it is for these kids. 

[possibilities]

Team Jazz? Really? Way to make a FAMILY event all about your daughter. I'm sorry, but Rainbow Runners is just as about Jazz.

I agree, and I couldn't believe that they were still doing it after the show has pushed and pushed the idea that it's wrong (does the family have no idea what is being portrayed? It all seems so staged, to me)-- and they had the father be the one to suggest it, too-- so it's not just Jeannette doing it. It was even worse because the activity was supposedly Griffen's and Sanders' idea in the first place, so all the more insulting to name it after Jazz.

Did anyone else notice that U on the University of Miami's hat was blurred out?

That was so weird! I know sometimes there's a rule about not showing logos, but they were saying the name of the school anyway, so why go to the trouble to blur the "U" of all things?

[Fostersmom]

Did anyone else notice there were 4 hats at the beginning of the school reveal, but after a shot of Jazz pouting in the corner, there was only 3? 

[blatantlyobvious]

Usually, they won't show a logo unless the company (or in this case, school) pays them to advertise their product or organization. It's very possible that the other three schools agreed to advertise, but the U of Miami did not. As for the 4-and-then-there-were-3, my assumption is they'd narrowed it down to three on camera, but that the scene was edited for time. 

[Jordan27]

Two reasons the family would agree to this show.  To let people see that someone who is transgender is still a person and reap the money that will help the family and/or help pay for Jazz's future surgeries.

And Jazz seems like a typical teenager, unsure of life and inexperienced at adult things, but adding the transgender issue just makes it more difficult.

[meatball77]

I can't imagine that this is the first time they've had creepy phone calls.  The family has been in the public eye since Jazz was very small through national interviews and such.

As for the sex talk, Jeanettes why not question seemed to Jazz saying that she couldn't have sex until she has surgery not that she didn't want to.  They need to let her know that she will have feelings and it's ok ect. . . (although I'd have to do a lot of research before going into a talk like that with a transgender kid.  Although with as open as they've been about her orientation since she was young I can't imagine that this is really the first time they've talked about this. 

I think it's interesting to see Jazz with other transgender kids.  It's so obvious that she just doesn't get it when it comes to the struggles that the others have had.  She's had super supportive parents and medical intervention from a young age that make it so much easier.  And while living in the public eye has had to be difficult at times it also makes it so she doesn't have to explain herself (outside of when she does outreach). 

[Scarlett45]

On July 30, 2016 at 10:50 AM, meatball77 said:

I can't imagine that this is the first time they've had creepy phone calls.  The family has been in the public eye since Jazz was very small through national interviews and such.

As for the sex talk, Jeanettes why not question seemed to Jazz saying that she couldn't have sex until she has surgery not that she didn't want to.  They need to let her know that she will have feelings and it's ok ect. . . (although I'd have to do a lot of research before going into a talk like that with a transgender kid.  Although with as open as they've been about her orientation since she was young I can't imagine that this is really the first time they've talked about this. 

I think it's interesting to see Jazz with other transgender kids.  It's so obvious that she just doesn't get it when it comes to the struggles that the others have had.  She's had super supportive parents and medical intervention from a young age that make it so much easier.  And while living in the public eye has had to be difficult at times it also makes it so she doesn't have to explain herself (outside of when she does outreach). 

Jazz might find success dating other young ppl from the LGBT community. She stated she kissed a transguy before, of course the numbers aren't in her favor (as far as population goes) but a young LGBTQ person might really  mesh with her. 

I do understand the concern, (her safety is number 1 of course) but you're giving Jazz a bad self imagine by insinuating that NO ONE could be interested in her because she's trans, or if they are it's a joke. 

@meatball77 that's kind of how I saw the conversation too, Jazz doesn't have to deny her emotions and sexuality (I don't mean partnered sex, she is only 15, but her feelings about herself) until she's completely done with her surgeries (if she wants them). She is allowed to be human and have wants/desires/interests before she's "all done" transitioning. In this way Jazz is being very much treated as a biological female, for young girls the discussion of sexuality is rarely first about OURSELVES, our intrinsic Expression, it's about 1. Protecting ourselves from danger, the biological consequences of heteronormative sexuality for women and 2. The social consequences for being "too sexual"- it's hard for young girls out there. Our bodies are commodities for men. While I think that it may be embarrassing to have all of this discussed on tv, I think her parents are trying to enforce that she's an entire person, just the way she is, and she doesn't HAVE to wait for a certain point in the medical process for her to be allowed her own sexuality (again, I'm not talking about partnered sex for a 15 year old, but how she feels about herself, not involving anyone else). 

Jazz doesn't have to date if she doesn't want to, she doesn't have to think about sexuality if she doesn't want to, but if she does, that's perfectly alright and she is allowed to have feelings like any other 15yrs old. 

Edited July 31, 2016 by Scarlett45

[Granny58]

On 7/21/2016 at 0:35 AM, mamapajama said:

My son is pan-sexual,

what is that?

[mamapajama]

1 hour ago, Granny58 said:

On 7/21/2016 at 0:35 AM, mamapajama said:

My son is pan-sexual,

what is that?

He is attracted to and open to relationships with people of all sexualities.   I think the term bi-sexual would cover it, but I guess it is a newer, fancier term to include Trans people, too.  Right now, he has a girlfriend.

[maraleia]

FYI you don't need to include the hyphen with pansexual and bisexual.

[Muffyn]

Pansexual is often used by people who are open to sexual relationships regardless of the other persons gender.  The consideration is that bisexual is based on a gender binary of male or female.  Transmen are male and transwomen are female so the use of pansexual is not specifically used to include transgender persons.  A heterosexual man in a relationship with the transgender woman is in a heterosexual relationship.  Pansexual is inclusive of nonbinary people.  Among young people, in particular, the idea of being nonbinary is gaining more acceptance.  There are many gender expressions that fall under the umbrella of nonbinary.  

Also, the relationship that a person is currently in doesn't change their sexual orientation. 

*---- The More You Know!

[Granny58]

17 hours ago, mamapajama said:

He is attracted to and open to relationships with people of all sexualities.   I think the term bi-sexual would cover it, but I guess it is a newer, fancier term to include Trans people, too.  Right now, he has a girlfriend.

Oh, thank you.  I can't keep up!  LOL

[mamapajama]

4 hours ago, Muffyn said:

Also, the relationship that a person is currently in doesn't change their sexual orientation. 

I had already stated that my son is pansexual.  I did not imply that having a girlfriend changes that.

[Muffyn]

44 minutes ago, mamapajama said:

I had already stated that my son is pansexual.  I did not imply that having a girlfriend changes that.

I wasn't suggesting that you did.  I was further clarifying my point.  So no offense meant but some taken nonetheless. 

FYI the term pansexual is not new.  It has been used in the LGBTQ community for at least 25 years.