“I Am Jazz”: A Book Discussion to Support Transgender Youth

Type:

*Lecture

*Social

This Event:

*Includes LGBTQ content

*May be of interest to the LGBTQ community

The Rosemary Garfoot Public Library in Cross Plains, WI will be hosting a reading and discussion of “I Am Jazz,” on Thursday, January 14th, from 6:30-7:30 PM.

In late 2015, an elementary school in Mount Horeb, Wis., planned a meeting and discussion of the children’s book, I Am Jazz, as part of their efforts to support on of the schools students– a six year old transgender child who had recently socially transitioned and was attending the school openly as the girl she knew herself to be.

Prior to the reading, an anti-LGBT hate group learned of the event and threatened to sue the school, calling for them to cancel the discussion and reading. But the Mount Horeb community rallied behind the school and the transgender student. A parent in the community organized a reader of I Am Jazz at the local library. The audience–full of children, parents, grandparents and community members–put courage before fear and turned out to learn more about how they could support the full humanity of transgender children and youth in their own backyard.

Now, communities all across the nation are holding their own events–inspired by the Mount Horeb community, the Human Rights Campaign–through HRC’s Welcoming Schools program–is encouraging parents, teachers, students, school administrators and communities to create their own readings in support of transgender youth, like this event in your own community.