I really want to talk about all these transgender docu-series popping up on television. When Bruce Jenner had an interview with Diane Sawyer talking about the transition into the nameless woman that he knew he really was who he referred to simply as "Her", everyone stopped paying attention to other celebrity news and in some cases non-entertainment news, to hear about every step of the transition. Some were accepting and supportive while others were hateful and closed minded. Regardless, that's all we could talk about. Since then, we have seen the rise of several doc-series about trans lifestyle.
The first to air was Becoming Us, a show produced by Ryan Seacrest that hit ABC Family June 8th. It's a show told through the eyes of a teenage boy named Ben living in Illinois as his father transitions into a woman named Carly. Interestingly enough, Ben's girlfriend Danielle's father is also transitioning.
Next will be airing this Wednesday on TLC and I am very excited about it. It's called I Am Jazz and it is about a 14 year old girl, Jazz Jennings. Jazz is a transgender teen who is a YouTuber, an LGBT+ activist, has written a children's book based on her real experiences to help explain the trans community to kids, and is of course trans herself. The show will focus on this strong young woman and her family.
Ironically enough the last to air on this list of shows is the one that truthfully started the whole thing. I Am Cait will air on the E! network July 26th following Caitlyn Jenner as she transitions and becomes her true self.
There are people who are seeing all these shows airing and thinking it's getting excessive and out of hand. There are people who think these networks are just trying to capitalize on a growing trend. And as for the networks intentions, you may be right. I do not work for E!, ABC Family, or TLC so I can't tell you honestly what their thoughts are on the topic or why they chose to take on these shows. But I can say, whether it's for money, for education, for whatever, it doesn't matter. What matters is every single one of these three shows is absolutely necessary.
