Summary

Jackson was assigned female at birth, and this is the preferred language for describing the complex relationship between sex and gender that is typically dichotomized into the male/female binaries when a baby is born. From an early age, Jackson showed signs of boyishness, but his mother was determined to raise her children as free from gender stereotypes as possible, so no one gave it any extra thought. Despite wanting a short haircut and refusing to wear dresses, Jackson wasn't always sure that he was a boy. Not all transgender people are certain of their gender identity from a young age, as it often portrayed in the media. Growing up in Texas, Jackson was surrounded by stereotypical gender norms and internalized the idea that it is important for people to know whether you are a boy or a girl simply by looking at...