• Being Jazz

  • My Life as a (Transgender) Teen
  • By: Jazz Jennings
  • Narrated by: Jazz Jennings
  • Length: 4 hrs
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (345 ratings)

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Being Jazz  By  cover art

Being Jazz

By: Jazz Jennings
Narrated by: Jazz Jennings
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Publisher's summary

Teen activist and trailblazer Jazz Jennings - named one of The 25 Most Influential Teens of the year by Time - shares her very public transgender journey, as she inspires people to accept the differences in others while they embrace their own truths.

Jazz Jennings is one of the youngest and most prominent voices in the national discussion about gender identity. At the age of five, Jazz transitioned to life as a girl, with the support of her parents. A year later her parents allowed her to share her incredible journey in her first Barbara Walters interview, aired at a time when the public was much less knowledgeable about or accepting of the transgender community. This groundbreaking interview was followed over the years by other high-profile interviews, a documentary, the launch of her YouTube channel, a picture book, and her own reality TV series, I Am Jazz, making her one of the most recognizable activists for transgender teens, children, and adults.

In her remarkable memoir, Jazz reflects on these very public experiences and how they have helped shape the mainstream attitude toward the transgender community. But it hasn't all been easy. Jazz has faced many challenges, bullying, discrimination, and rejection, yet she perseveres as she educates others about her life as a transgender teen. Through it all her family has been beside her on this journey, standing together against those who don't understand the true meaning of tolerance and unconditional love. Now Jazz must learn to navigate the physical, social, and emotional upheavals of adolescence - particularly high school - complicated by the unique challenges of being a transgender teen. Making the journey from girl to woman is never easy - especially when you began your life in a boy's body.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2016 Jazz Jennings (P)2016 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"Jazz is a sensitive and courageous young woman. Her story is inspiring and important to read. By sharing her experiences and view she has added to our understanding and compassion for the transgender experience." (Barbara Walters)
"Jazz [is] an eloquent spokesperson for transgender kids." (Katie Couric)
"I wish I had had a book like this when I was a kid struggling with gender identity questions. I found it deeply moving in its simplicity and honesty." (Laverne Cox, acclaimed actress and transgender advocate)

Featured Article: Audible Essentials—The Top 100 LGBTQIA+ Listens of All Time


While LGBTQIA+ creators have been around for millennia, it’s only recently that we’ve been hearing more diverse, more queer-authored, and more queer-performed stories about the entire spectrum of LGBTQIA+ experiences and identities. This list—just like the community it represents—is meant to be fluid. But most importantly, it’s meant to celebrate and reflect on the issues faced by LGBTQIA+ people everywhere.

What listeners say about Being Jazz

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Powerful and Enlightening.

What made the experience of listening to Being Jazz the most enjoyable?

Hearing the story from the mouth of the author and the person who truly experienced all these things in her life was probably the greatest and most powerful part of the audiobook. You really hear her emotions in her voice and it adds so much to the book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jazz, obviously. The book was entirely about her and her life.

Which character – as performed by Jazz Jennings – was your favorite?

Jazz.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did listen to it all in one sitting, so yes.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Eloquent and Well Thought Out

Young Ms. Jennings has created a body of work, including her life, of which to be extremely proud. Precocious almost to a fault, she has forged and followed a bigger life than most people four times her current age (which is fifteen.) This book is well written and edited, both traditionally speaking as well as with sound engineering. Informative, spirited and vivid enough to draw out memories of my own from parallel ages in my (non-transgender) life, listening to this book was similar to hanging out with one of my own extremely candid nieces. I definitely recommend listening to this book. One note, Jazz does speak a little bit quickly, but you can always change the speed on the meter while listening, so it's not truly a problem. Other great reads along the same lines are "Raising my Rainbow" and "Raising Ryland."

Word to Jazz, if you're reading this ... Everyone who is as intensely self-aware as you are experiences some degree of an existential crisis manifesting in some way or another. Just remember that your ripple, your legacy already is love.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Being Jazz audio book rocks

Absolutely love this. I'm transgender female and this inspired me. 5 stars for Jazz. 😁

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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Long drawn out musings of a teenage girl.

Not my cup of tea. Though Im sure it will make a difference in the right persons life👍🏼

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Inspiring and a Joy to Listen To

I am a huge fan of the show and was very excited for the book. I love Jazz and her entire family. I am an avid advocate for LGBTQ rights and love all the world they are doing. Jazz does a wonderful job telling her story and j encourage anyone with questions about transgender topics to listen to this book. She is an inspiration and I will buy every book and watch every episode of I Am Jazz!

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Great story!

This was a great read. I only wish it was longer. Can't wait for her to write mire books as her journey continues.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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I'm 65, she's 14. she's teaching me thanks Jazz!!

Great audio book. thanks Jazz for sharing and allowing us to learn from your life. Stay safe and happy . Great supportive family!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Honest, whimsical and uplifting

It's a really positive story on how a family who knew nothing about being gender identity disorder handled the notion that their youngest son was indeed their youngest daughter. It's about as loving a reception as you can realistically imagine and it gives hope that maybe one day this story could become the rule rather than the exception.

That brings about one of the most important aspects about this book; how Jazz admits several times that she understands that her experience transitioning and growing up is not typical. She understands that many transgender individuals have a much more difficult time with the process. She touches on the much higher suicide rates and abuse that are typical of a transperson's life without proselytizing. I'm not here to make a claim that she is entirely aware of her privilege but she isn't completely ignorant of it either. Ultimately, that's what made the book worth the read. Without that bit, the narrative would have smacked of someone who was clueless about the realities of transgender existence. This isn't surprising though considering how heavily involved Jazz and her mum seem to be in the LGQBT community.

All in all, the book is hilarious and honest. Jazz does a tremendous job not just poking fun at herself for some of the ridiculousness that goes on while trying to navigate life as a teenager but she doesn't hold back on the performance either. She knows it was ridiculous and she's laughing right along with you. Obviously, being trans is central to her story but it isn't the entire story. A lot of her life is just about trying to make friends, get kissed and farting while her date and his mom are trapped in a moving car.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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An extraordinary young woman

A very human relating of her authentic experience as a transgender girl. Very inspiring and recommended to help non-transgender people understand this often misunderstood condition. She communicates clearly and warmly and shows both the simple humanity of being transgender and the difficulties and prejudices that transgender people are forced to deal with in the courses of their lives.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Interesting Story.

Funny, serious and interesting. Listening to Jazz tell you about her life was very pleasant. She tells things you'd never from just watching her show or reading about her. Her story is told from a child up to now chronicling every grade up to 9th. If you like the show definitely give this a listen. I personally just came across the show one day and was confused about how a transgender person could be so young transitioning. I didn't know much or cared about that before but found myself learning a great deal just by watching the show. This audiobook took that to new level.

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