History of Jazz Jennings in Timeline

Jazz Jennings is a prominent American transgender activist, TV personality, and YouTube star. She gained national recognition at a young age for her advocacy work, becoming one of the youngest publicly documented transgender individuals. Her 2007 interview on 20/20 with Barbara Walters propelled her into the spotlight, leading to numerous other high-profile appearances. Jennings' ability to articulate her experiences as a transgender youth with clarity and innocence at such a young age has been lauded by organizations like the Boston Alliance of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth, solidifying her position as a trailblazer for transgender visibility and rights.

October 6, 2000: Birth of Jazz Jennings

Jazz Jennings was born on October 6, 2000.

2007: First National Television Appearance

In 2007, Jazz Jennings gained national attention through an interview with Barbara Walters on 20/20, where she spoke about her experiences as a transgender girl.

2007: Co-founds TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation

Jazz Jennings became an honorary co-founder of the TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation in 2007, an organization dedicated to supporting transgender youth.

2011: "I Am Jazz: A Family in Transition" Documentary

A documentary about Jazz Jennings's life and her family, titled "I Am Jazz: A Family in Transition," premiered on the Oprah Winfrey Network in 2011.

2012: Discusses Sexual Orientation

Jazz Jennings openly discussed her sexual orientation as being attracted to boys in a 2012 interview with Barbara Walters.

2013: Advocacy for Transgender Athletes

In 2013, Jazz Jennings, with the help of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, successfully challenged the United States Soccer Federation's policies, paving the way for transgender students to participate in sports according to their gender identity.

2013: Expresses Desire to be a Mother

Jazz Jennings expressed her desire to become a mother in the future in 2013.

2013: Purple Rainbow Tails Founded

Jazz Jennings founded Purple Rainbow Tails in 2013, a company that creates rubber mermaid tails to raise money for transgender children.

July 2014: Comes Out as Pansexual

In July 2014, Jazz Jennings shared that she identifies as pansexual, emphasizing that she loves people for their personalities.

2014: Recognition and Advocacy Work

In 2014, Jazz Jennings was recognized for her activism, being named one of Time's "25 Most Influential Teens," featured on Out's "Out 100" list, and becoming a Human Rights Campaign Youth Ambassador.

2014: Publication of "I Am Jazz" Children's Book

Jazz Jennings co-authored a children's book titled "I Am Jazz" with Jessica Herthel in 2014, sharing her experiences as a transgender child. The book faced controversy and was banned in some places.

March 2015: Clean & Clear Campaign

Jazz Jennings became a spokesperson for Clean & Clear in March 2015, appearing in their "See The Real Me" campaign and speaking about the experience of growing up transgender.

July 2015: Premiere of "I Am Jazz" Reality Series

The reality series "I Am Jazz," which follows the life of Jazz Jennings and her family, premiered on TLC in July 2015.

2015: "I Am Jazz" Reality TV Series Premieres

Jazz Jennings's reality TV show, "I Am Jazz," premiered on TLC in 2015, documenting her life and challenges as a transgender person.

2016: Publication of "Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen"

Jazz Jennings published her memoir, "Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen," in 2016.

2017: First Transgender Doll and Voice Acting Debut

In 2017, the Tonner Doll Company announced the creation of a doll inspired by Jazz Jennings, marking the first transgender doll. The same year, she voiced Zadie, a transgender character, in the Amazon Video series "Danger & Eggs."

April 11, 2018: Preparation for Gender Reassignment Surgery

Jazz Jennings shared in an interview on April 11, 2018, that she had lost weight in preparation for gender reassignment surgery.

June 20, 2018: Gender Reassignment Surgery

Jazz Jennings underwent gender reassignment surgery on June 20, 2018, a significant event in her life.

2018: "Denim" Short Film

Jazz Jennings starred in the short film "Denim" in 2018, which focused on the experiences of a transgender teenager.

July 20, 2019: Release of "Denim" and Guest Appearances

The short film "Denim," starring Jazz Jennings, was released on Amazon Prime Video on July 20, 2019. She also made a guest appearance on "What Would You Do?" and voiced a character in the animated series "The Bravest Knight."

2019: High School Graduation and College Acceptance

Jazz Jennings graduated as valedictorian from Broward Virtual School in 2019 and was accepted into Harvard University but decided to defer for a year.