Transgender Jazz Jennings shares details of her struggle to fit in

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Jazz was born a boy, but began identifying herself as a girl at just age three
She is now the star of an 11-part reality series on TLC entitled I Am Jazz which follows her daily life with family in friends at home in Florida

Published: 11:07 EST, 16 July 2015 | Updated: 14:31 EST, 16 July 2015

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Jazz Jennings, the Florida teenager who became a YouTube star and role model for America's transgender youth, made her reality TV debut last night, welcoming the cameras into her home and giving the world a glimpse at what her life is really like.

The first episode of the 14-year-old's new TV show I Am Jazz premiered on TLC, introducing the world to the the Jennings family and Jazz in particular, who describes herself as 'an average teenage girl who just happened to be assigned male at birth'.

The first episode of the 11-part series saw each of the Jennings clan describing their experience with having a transgender family member, with flashbacks showing Jazz before her transition, as well as clips from the family’s daily life today.

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Meet the Jennings: Jazz Jennings, 15, introduces her family in the debut of her new reality series I Am Jazz on TLC, which aired Wednesday night

Role model: Jazz, a longtime advocate for transgender youth, first rose to fame as a YouTube star

All together: The whole Jennings family (clockwise from top left) Sander, Ari, Griffin, Greg, Jazz and Jeanette

The show follows Jazz and her family as they deal with her transitional process - as well as experiencing the same drama that affects all American teens.

Jazz, who has lived as a girl since she was just five years old, has been vocal around transgender rights along with her family for years, having previously appeared in a documentary about her life and published a book, also titled I Am Jazz, on her experiences.

The teenager was diagnosed with gender identity disorder at an extremely young age and was supported by her parents to begin living as a girl at just five years old.

In the debut episode of the new show, Jazz recalls the day she was taken into the doctor about her gender identity.

'They took me to the doctor's and she had two dolls,' she explains. 'One of the dolls was a girl, and had girl parts, and one doll was a boy and had boy parts.

'She said "which do you have right now?" And I pointed to the boy doll. Then she said: "Which do you want?" And I pointed to the girl doll.'

TLC'S I am Jazz: 'Whatever it takes to make you happy'

Star of the show: Jazz describes in the episode how she was taken to the doctor as a three-year-old and shown male and female dolls, and asked to identify herself

Supportive: Jazz received support from her parents in transitioning from a very young age

Finding her happiness: Jazz has identified as a girl since she was only three years old and has been living openly as a girl since she was five

Jazz's family members also opened up in the episode about Jazz's transition and the affect it had on them as individuals.

Her mother Jeanette even admits to forcing Jazz to go to school dressed as a boy in her early years, partly because the school wouldn't allow it and partly because she 'wasn't ready' at the time.

The teen's father Greg, sister Ari, 19, and twin brothers Griffen and Sander, 17, are also featured on the show, explaining their initial struggles to relate with Jazz, and how they learned to accept her.

Throughout the episode, Jazz is seen swimsuit shopping with her sister, heading to the beach with her brothers and inviting a group of girlfriends around to the Jennings' home.

Jazz, who at the start of the show is at the end of the ninth grade, has already admitted to having crushes on boys, but revealed in the episode that many aren't quite ready to accept her as she is.

Life at home: The new show will follow Jazz as she navigates the average American teenager's high school experience as well as documenting her family relationships

Insecurities: Jazz admitted that most of the discrimination she experienced came from boys, who think she is 'disgusting and weird'

'I face most of my discrimination from the boys because they think that they're gay for liking another "boy",' Jazz explains. 'And they just overall think that I'm disgusting and weird. I'd like to be respected for who I am.'

'Guys kind of shy away from her because she is transgender,' adds Jazz's brother Griffin in the episode.

'She wants guys to like her. Whether she'll date them or not, she feels like she's missing a part of her life because guys don't look at her, or they walk away from her,' adds Sander. 'They'll give everyone else hugs, but give her a high five.'

At another point in the episode, Jazz and her mother are sitting on a restaurant patio discussing her upcoming entrance into high school when two boys walk by. As they pass, one mutters: 'Hey Jazz. Tranny freak.'

Jeannette, shocked, almost rises from her chair, but Jazz stops her. 'They're not worth it. It doesn't matter what they think, they're just stupid punks.'

Jazz Jennings and other stars hit the red carpet at the ESPYs

Getting there: Mom Jeanette admits that she sent Jazz to school dressed as a boy when she was younger, partly because the school wouldn't allow her to dress as a girl and partly because she 'wasn't ready'

The future: Jazz already takes hormone blockers to stave off male puberty, and plans to have gender reassignment surgery at age 18

Another aspect of transgender life covered in the show is the medical side. At one point, Jazz describes getting older and becoming terrified about oncoming puberty.

'I had a nightmare that these giant mustaches and beards were chasing me around, and they wanted to attach to my face' she said. 'So I ran to my mom, I told her, and she said: "Don't worry, that's never going to happen. I'm never going to let that happen to you."

Jazz began hormone blockers at age 11 so she would not experience male puberty and may undergo sex re-assignment surgery at the age of 18.

However, Jazz is also seen in the show with friends who support her, including a group of girls who comfortable talk about their own developing bodies with her.

Rounding up the episode, Jazz's parents discuss their pride over how strong she is, but Jeanette becomes emotional over the hard road ahead as her daughter enters high school.

'In order to be the person she wants to be, she has to go through stuff that she shouldn't have to,' says Jeannette tearfully. 'I wish she could just BE.'