When Jazz Jennings was five years old, she wore a sparkly bathing suit for the first time. While this might be an uneventful moment for many little girls, for Jazz -- who was assigned male at birth -- it was an unforgettable experience. She was finally able to present herself as a girl and reflect what she was feeling on the inside, outside.
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Nine years later, the transgender activist has been interviewed by everyone from Katie Couric to Barbara Walters and was named one of TIME Magazine's Top 25 Most Influential Teens for 2014. Most recently, Jennings became the face of a Clean & Clear campaign, all while spreading her message of self-acceptance and self-love.
Through it all, style has been a constant -- a way for Jazz to express herself, and her gender, to those around her. Inspired by her grandmother and mother, Jennings has developed her fashion sense like any teen would, but with this added importance.
But style can get complicated for trans women, especially those in the spotlight. Transgender women are often critiqued based on their appearance, with society focusing on how well they "pass" as a barometer for acceptance.
As a teen who is secure in her style despite the critical eye of others, Jazz still faces obstacles as a trans girl navigating fashion, Jazz tells Mashable. In her new TLC series I AM JAZZ, which premieres July 15 at 10 p.m. ET, viewers will see her struggle to find and feel comfortable in a bathing suit, a common shopping challenge trans people face, among other issues she faces as your everyday teen.
Check out what style is like through the eyes of a transgender teenager in the video above.