Jazz Jennings, a 14-year-old transgender activist, recently made history when she nabbed a big deal as the new face of Johnson and Johnson’s Clean & Clear skin care.
In the beauty brand’s #SeeTheRealMe campaign, a move that asks people around the world to share their personal coming-of-age stories through social media, Jennings tells her story about growing up and learning about her identity. “I’ve always known who I am,” Jazz says in the Clean & Clear video. “I was a girl trapped in a boy’s body. Growing up has been quite a struggle being transgender — especially in middle school … sometimes, I’ve even been called an ‘it.’ ”
Clean & Clear’s decision is being lauded by many as a breakthrough role for the teen that echoes CoverGirl naming Ellen DeGeneres an ambassador for their products.
Jennings told The Huffington Post she’s proud to be part of the national campaign. “It’s really amazing, as it helps many teen girls who are struggling,” she told the website. “It helps them to find themselves and be true to who they are. I hope they can learn to be brave and not care what other people think about them, because if they just stay positive and spread love, then others will be true friends who will accept them no matter what.”
Jennings has already racked up an impressive list of accomplishments, including working with Oprah Winfrey as the subject of a documentary on OWN network at age 11, penning a children’s book about trans youth called I Am Jazz, she was named one of Time magazine’s 25 most influential teenagers. Most recently, Jennings landed a new TLC reality series focusing on her and her family titled “All That Jazz.”
