Just Kids' Spotlights Families of Trans Children Facing Difficult Choices

Summary

Episode Summary: "Just Kids' Spotlights Families of Trans Children Facing Difficult Choices"

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart
Episode Title: Just Kids' Spotlights Families of Trans Children Facing Difficult Choices
Release Date: June 13, 2025

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Introduction to the Documentary: Just Kids

In this poignant episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart delves into the heart-wrenching realities faced by transgender youth and their families amidst a wave of legislative actions aimed at restricting gender-affirming healthcare for minors. The episode centers around the recently premiered documentary, Just Kids, which portrays the lives of three trans children and their families navigating these challenging times.

Alison Stewart [00:30]: "Since 2021, 27 states have passed laws limiting gender affirming health care for minors... The law banning hormone therapy for minors in Tennessee is on the docket this term."

Interview with Director Gianna Taboni

Selecting the Families

Director Gianna Taboni shares the meticulous process behind choosing the families featured in Just Kids. Emphasizing representation, Taboni sought out diverse families, including those of young trans women of color and from low to middle-income backgrounds, to showcase that the impact of these laws transcends socioeconomic and geographic boundaries.

Gianna Taboni [01:53]: "We really wanted to feature families who don't always get the media spotlight... This isn't an issue that only affects coastal elites who are liberal."

Motivations for Sharing Their Stories

Taboni highlights that the families chosen were motivated by a genuine desire to share their experiences rather than seeking fame or media attention. Their primary goal was to correct public narratives and advocate for their children's well-being.

Gianna Taboni [03:13]: "We just wanted to share with other Americans what they were going through to try to correct the narrative that they're not making their kid trans."

Addressing Misconceptions

The documentary confronts prevalent misconceptions about gender-affirming care, presenting it as not only safe but also medically necessary. Taboni underscores the positive transformations in the lives of trans youth who receive appropriate support and care.

Gianna Taboni [04:26]: "The medical science is so clear... once they are allowed to socially transition... they're happy, they're able to socialize, they do better in school."

Balancing Expert Insights and Personal Narratives

To provide a comprehensive understanding, Taboni balanced personal family stories with expert commentary, including historians and medical professionals. This approach aimed to humanize the issue while contextualizing it within broader historical and political frameworks.

Gianna Taboni [08:29]: "We needed the scaffolding... to understand what is the broader historical context of this story."

The Surge in Anti-Trans Legislation

Experts featured in the documentary attribute the recent surge in legislation targeting trans youth to effective political strategies that capitalize on emotional responses and fear. These laws serve as a tool for rallying political bases and advancing broader cultural wars.

Gianna Taboni [10:24]: "It is such an effective political strategy... they find an opportunity to heighten fear around this care."

Highlighted Families in Just Kids

Ray and Eric: A Tale of Contrasts

One of the central stories is that of Ray, a trans teenager, and his father, Eric—a combat veteran and Second Amendment enthusiast. Despite his traditionally conservative views, Eric publicly supports his son, exemplifying the universal nature of parental love beyond political ideologies.

Gianna Taboni [12:44]: "He felt... my child's freedoms... are now being stripped of them... Legislative response was disheartening."

Crystal and Tristan: The Struggle to Stay

Crystal, Tristan's mother, faces severe repercussions in Texas after supporting her trans daughter. With Child Protective Services labeling her care as abuse, Crystal's desperate attempt to relocate underscores the personal sacrifices families endure.

Gianna Taboni [15:30]: "I can't afford to move, but I can't afford to lose my children."

Alazai: Navigating Social Media and Family Dynamics

Alazai, a young trans girl, utilizes TikTok to find community and support amidst adversity. While social media serves as a lifeline, it also exposes her to harassment, highlighting the dual-edged nature of online platforms.

Gianna Taboni [17:19]: "She found a wonderful community... but also received dehumanizing comments that affected her mental health."

Alazai's relationship with her brothers illustrates profound familial support, transcending traditional gender roles and demonstrating unconditional love.

Gianna Taboni [18:37]: "Their family is a non-traditional family structure... you could not ask for more love in a family."

Challenges During Filmmaking

Taboni discusses the difficulties of producing the documentary in a rapidly changing political landscape. The unpredictability of legislation required adaptability and resilience, as filmmakers had to respond swiftly to new laws and events.

Gianna Taboni [20:07]: "We didn't have a lot of funding... Local partners gave us heads up... We had to get creative from a filmmaking standpoint."

Ongoing Support and Community Impact

The episode emphasizes the continued connection between the filmmaker and the featured families, highlighting their resilience and the support they receive from broader communities, especially following screenings like the one at Tribeca Film Festival.

Gianna Taboni [21:17]: "They received a huge standing ovation... People told them they were inspiring others."

Looking Towards the Future: Hope Amidst Adversity

Despite the bleak legislative environment, Taboni finds hope in the unwavering strength of the trans community and the steadfast support of the medical community advocating for gender-affirming care.

Gianna Taboni [22:21]: "This community is so strong... the medical evidence for this health care is strong... people can find hope."

Conclusion

Just Kids serves as a powerful testament to the struggles and triumphs of transgender youth and their families amidst restrictive legislation. Through intimate storytelling and expert insights, the documentary, as discussed in this episode of All Of It, calls for empathy, understanding, and continued advocacy to ensure the safety and well-being of all children.

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Note: The timestamps correspond to specific moments in the transcript, providing direct quotes and context for the discussions.

Transcript

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[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. We finish our Tribeca coverage with a documentary that is playing out in real time. Since 2021, 27 states have passed laws limiting gender affirming health care for minors. Each bill varies, but all target transgender youth by prohibiting various forms of care, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, surgery, and more. Some bans have broader impacts, such as prohibiting medical professionals from administering care. Just this month, the FBI asked Citize to report doctors and hospitals who perform some of these procedures. It has made it to the Supreme Court, a challenge. The law banning hormone therapy for minors in Tennessee is on the docket this term. The court will decide whether these bans are constitutional. A new documentary tells the story of three trans kids and their families as they grapple with these bans. The film is called Just Kids. It premiered on June 7 at the Tribeca Festival and will have its last showing today at 5:45. The film is produced by Gianna and Jack. Director Gianna. Am I saying your name right?

[Gianna Taboni]

Yeah. Gianna Taboni.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you so much. Director Gianna Taboni joins us now via Zoom. Hi, Gianna.

[Gianna Taboni]

Hi. Great to talk with you, Allison. Thanks for having me on.

[Alison Stewart]

So how did you folks find your subjects for this film?

[Gianna Taboni]

I'm really glad you asked that to start because this was an enormous part of the project. Our development phase lasted months and we spoke to dozens of families across the country and, you know, our first priority was to ensure that, you know, definitely the youth, but the whole family were in, you know, a mental and emotional position to take on, you know, this enormous responsibility and opportunity. But second is that we really wanted to feature families who don't always get the media spotlight. So, you know, young trans women of color and low and middle income families. You know, we have one dad who's an Iraq War combat veteran. He's a big Second Amendment enthusiast. You know, had no problem telling us that he has a ton of guns. And you don't typically see parents like that who, you know, speak this language, can speak to the other side of the country and say, hey, yeah, I'm all for the second Amendment. And you know what else? I am fiercely defensive of my trans child and Those families are out there. You know, every kind of family is impacted by this issue. This isn't a sort of, you know, issue that only affects coastal elites who are liberal. And that's what we wanted to show, is that this is indiscriminate in the sense that anybody can have a trans child.

[Alison Stewart]

What did these families tell you about. About why they agreed to be filmed?

[Gianna Taboni]

So we were really, you know, we paid very close attention to the reason that folks wanted to do these interviews. Anytime we felt that, you know, someone wanted to be famous, you know, particularly a young person, or wanted the media attention, you know, that's typically a moment where, you know, I decided to go in a different direction. We wanted families who, you know, not only were in a good place mentally, but, you know, also kind of understood the responsibility and, you know, were just happy to share their story, but not sort of overly anxious to, you know, didn't have sort of other motives other than to share with other Americans what they were going through to try to correct the narrative that they're not making their kid trans. Nobody wants this, you know, that this is a really hard thing and that, you know, one of their biggest messages is just that, like, we're just trying to live our lives. You know, we're not activists, we're not trying to be politicians. We're not pushing any agenda other than to ensure that our kids are safe and healthy. And so that's really what we were looking for in. In these families.

[Alison Stewart]

What's a common misconception that you wanted to address in the film? Just kids.

[Gianna Taboni]

Well, you know, Allison, I've been filming with transgender youth and their families and Doctors for about 10 years. And, you know, candidly, I was a little hesitant 10 years ago when the bathroom bills were passing, and I thought, gosh, is this, you know, therapy good for kids? And as I started to meet with literally dozens of families and their doctors and reviewed the data, I found that, you know, this is not only safe and effective care, this is medically necessary, in some cases, life saving care, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and every other medical association. I mean, the story is, is always the same. You know, a child is struggling, they, you know, may have anxiety or depression. They, you know, are telling their families, they're telling their doctors, you know, who they are, what their gender identity is. And once they are allowed to socially transition, which is majority of these kids, and then for some, you know, pursue a medical transition, which to start is a completely reversible hormone blocker, the kids change. I mean, it's incredible. All of a sudden they're happy, they're able to socialize, they do better in school, they can look their parents in the eye. I mean, they're no longer, you know, having thoughts of self harm. It's actually incredibly emotional to see in real time. And some of these kids I have known for 10 years, you know, so I have seen it over a long period of time. And so, you know, when I see the media narrative, when I see what these politicians, you know, and folks on, on the political right are saying about this care, including, you know, the. It's so confusing for me because it is so deeply untrue and the medical science is so clear. And so for me, I wanted to correct the narrative and also show that this is a long standing political strategy that has been used against communities since the beginning of our country. Right? And it's an incredibly effective political strategy because it is based in fear, you know, and I wanted to show Americans, like, look, you're getting duped by politicians, right? This is nothing more than a political issue. These families just want to live their lives.

[Interview Host]

My guest is Gianna Taboni. She's the director of the new film Just Kids. The film explores the reality of being trans in a state where gender affirming healthcare for minors is limited or even banned. Its last showing at the Tribeca Film Festival will be tonight at 5:45pm There are a lot of personal issues discussed in this documentary.

[Alison Stewart]

How did you approach asking families to.

[Interview Host]

Share such personal parts of their lives with you?

[Gianna Taboni]

I find this to be an enormous responsibility, especially when filming with minors, even if they're in their late teens. It's an incredibly emotional experience. And so the way I start, you know, well, before we take cameras out, is I have long conversations with these teens and their parents and I give them a very clear idea of what I want to talk about in these interviews, you know, and whether they're comfortable with it. And then when we're actually filming, you know, there's a lot of, how you doing? You want to take a break? You know, should we, can we talk about this today or you think we should kick that to tomorrow? It's a constant conversation and especially with the kids, you know, I follow their lead. You know, the idea is that this experience should, should be empowering for them. You know, it shouldn't make them feel worse than they already feel. And that's something that is on my mind every minute of the day that I'm with these families. So, you know, we've been extremely kind of careful with that part of the storytelling. And what I always find, truthfully, is that these families are just dying to tell their story. They just want people to know what they're going through, despite how hard it is to talk about those, you know, more sensitive moments.

[Alison Stewart]

I think people want to be heard. They want to be listened to.

[Gianna Taboni]

Exactly.

[Alison Stewart]

It's interesting, in the documentary, you also interview experts like historians and professors and advocates. What was your process for balancing comments from the quote, unquote experts versus hearing the real stories from families?

[Gianna Taboni]

So, as you might imagine, you know, we went through a lot of edits in the script and cutting it one way and then and then cutting it another way. And what we really wanted to do was to make viewers feel like they knew these families, you know, to really feel that, you know, this could be my brother, this could be my mom. But then also, you know, we needed the scaffolding, you know, we needed the kind of story that helped contextualize this. And so I felt strongly, you know, from the beginning, giving viewers context. So starting out with, like, the Obama years and how the Supreme Court decision to legalize same sex marriage played in to, you know, what we're seeing now with. With trans youth and the political attacks against them. But I also felt that, you know, somewhat early on in the first half hour, we needed to contextualize this even broader and show that this idea of, you know, politicians say they're like, protect the kids or save the kids. That's wording, that is language that came from the 1970s, you know, and even before that, actually, where big, you know, right wing activists like Anita Bryant literally had a campaign called Save our Children, you know, which was advocating for gay men to not be allowed to be teachers in schools because they might make your kids gay, is what the argument was. The parallels were so clear to me, and I really wanted to frame that so somewhat early on in the film, while also introducing these family stories and showing what the stakes were for them personally. So it was a juggle. And we continue to go back and forth, but really we wanted viewers immediately to buy into these families and their stories, but also along the way to understand what is the broader historical context of this story.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm curious what the experts told you about why they think there's been so much recent legislation targeting trans kids.

[Interview Host]

Why is it happening now?

[Gianna Taboni]

You know, what they say is that this is really simple. It is such an effective political strategy. And once abortion started to not work as well after the 2022 midterms, this was kind of the next best political strategy for them. And why? Because people are very emotional about kids. They felt that they could find, you know, an area to, you know, flame where they could really kind of heighten fear around, you know, this care. They found an opportunity. And so, and so, you know, they started to use this copycat legislation and found that, you know, it works. You know, from school boards all the way up to these down ballot elections and then to the administration, they found that it rallied their base. And I think once you test that on a local level and start running it up the chain and see that when you make a big announcement before a primary, which happened in Texas more than once, and then they win their primary after being down, they're testing this out on the local level. And when they see that the fear based messaging works, then they continue to use it and it just works. They needed something, I think, to start to lead the culture wars and bring in votes. And frankly, it's been a brilliant political strategy. It has completely and totally worked for them.

[Interview Host]

My guest is director Gianna Taboni. We're talking about her new film Just Kids. We'll have more after a quick break. This is all of it.

[Alison Stewart]

You are listening to all of IT on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. I'm speaking to director Gianna Taboni about her documentary Just Kids. The film explores the reality of being trans in a state where gender affirming health care for minors is limited or even banned. Its last showing at Tribeca Festival will be tonight at 5:45pm you focus in on three families. We start with Ray. We meet Ray up front. He's got a lot of guns. He loves the second Amendment. He is totally supportive of his trans son. Ray, what did Eric share with you about why it was important for him to not just be supportive in private, but to also be very supportive publicly.

[Gianna Taboni]

So, Eric, yes, as you mentioned, he's an Iraq War combat veteran. He is the father of Ray, his trans son who's a teenager. And you know, Eric for years did do it privately, did support his child privately. But then he started to see that the legislature was moving to ban gender affirming care. What he saw as critical health care for his child and many others in his state. And because he had fought for the freedom, you know, of Americans, of others in the world, he felt, wow, I just, I got home from war to see that my own freedoms, my freedoms that I fought for, my child's freedoms, you know, to live life as, as who they are. We're now being stripped of them. And that was just too painful a thought to bear. And so he and his wife Jessica, drove to the South Carolina legislature, and they testified in a subcommittee hearing. And. And he said just that. He said, look, this country is based on freedom. We all care about that value. I fought for it. I risked my life for it. And I was fighting religious extremism in another country. And now I come home, and I'm fighting it in my own country. You know, and you could sort of see the legislators, you know, pick their heads up and look at him, and you saw that the message seemed to be resonating, or they at least were paying attention, because this was coming from, you know, a different kind of person testifying. And yet they still passed the bill. And I think for him, that was incredibly disheartening, because what he realized is that, you know, between his testimony and those of others, it actually did not matter what they said or who they were. Right. Because the legislators had decided the way they were going to vote before anyone walked into the room that day. And I think that was really hard for Eric.

[Interview Host]

This is sort of a sidebar question. What was it like to be around all those guns?

[Gianna Taboni]

You know, I've had a lot of experience around guns, truthfully, in my reporting, you know, overseas and here. And so I actually probably have an unusual comfort around guns. So I. I was okay. And I also saw what I always look out for when I'm around firearms is whether the person who is handling them and owns them cares about safety protocols. And Eric really did, and that made me feel comfortable.

[Interview Host]

Another mother, Crystal, decides it might be best to leave Texas altogether, even though it might not be financially feasible, which I think really is a testament to your. To your documentary that you show people who are in dire straits, but they really, really care about their children. What did Tristan's mom, Crystal, tell you about the sacrifices that she's had to make in order to possibly be able to move?

[Gianna Taboni]

Yeah, the way Crystal put it is, I can't afford to move, but I can't afford to lose my children. And what she was referring to is, in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott had instructed Child Protective Services to investigate families who were supporting their trans kids. And Crystal qualified for that because she was a mother who was affirming her trans daughter doing what, you know, she knew was best for her child, keeping her child safe and healthy, and doing what the pediatrician recommended. And that was making her a target of CPS because they had described this kind of care as child abuse. And so, you know, she felt someone in her personal life was reporting her to CPS because of text messages she received. And she panicked and spent months trying to save money in order to get out of the state. And it was painful to watch because there, you know, weeks and months went by where she couldn't move. She literally could not afford to. And, you know, they'd look out their window and they were nervous, literally, that law enforcement was going to show up to their door. And at some point they looked around and they said, oh, my God, like, our neighbors are telling on us, like, this does not feel like America, particularly in 2024. And so, you know, eventually Crystal is able to, you know, pack up their things and hit the open road for. For the east coast. And her story doesn't end there.

[Alison Stewart]

One of the kids, Alazaia, am I saying it correctly?

[Gianna Taboni]

You are, yes.

[Alison Stewart]

Alazai uses social media as an outlet. She posts a lot of videos on TikTok. As you look at it and you really think about it, what are the benefits of social media? And then how can social media hurt trans kids?

[Gianna Taboni]

Alizea, you know, lost her number one support system, who was her mother when she was a young teenager and, you know, she was facing homelessness, she was in a really tough position. And she went to social media and actually found a wonderful community of young trans girls and trans women of color, and they became her family. And she would be able to post videos about, you know, how she was getting bullied at school and, you know, how hard life was and what was going on with the government attacking, you know, her and, you know, other trans kids. And she got this sort of beautiful receptance from a community on. On TikTok, and that, you know, was pivotal for her mental health. At the same time, you know, she started, as you might imagine, to receive comments that, you know, were really dehumanizing, misgendering her and, you know, saying some really kind of off color and even violent things to her. You know, that was not good for Alizea's mental health, especially being a young person without a strong, you know, support system. But what it also did was it helped her kind of acquire this thick skin that now when she sees those comments, she's able to address them in a healthy way and inspire her followers.

[Alison Stewart]

It was really interesting. Her family story showed the evolution of.

[Interview Host]

What can happen within a family.

[Alison Stewart]

How would you describe her relationship with her brothers?

[Gianna Taboni]

I thought that this was, you know, one of the most heartwarming relationships that I got to see develop. You know, when Alizea's only Parent dies. Her brothers, who were, you know, two young black men who are both cisgender, come in as Alizeh's caregivers and they do anything to support her. They don't care if she's trans or gay. They just, they know that that is their sister and it is their responsibility to support her in her journey. And that's what they do. And, you know, a lot of it doesn't actually have to. None of it has to do with gender affirming care. It all has to do with getting your credit score up and making sure you can get a job and, you know, helping her to grow into an adult and set herself up to be in a healthy position as she goes forward. And these two brothers become heroes in the film. You know, I get the chills even just thinking about them. They're such wonderful young men. And so, yeah, their, their family is kind of a non traditional family structure. And yet you literally could not ask for more love in a family.

[Interview Host]

It's interesting, as you were making the film Just Kids, my guest is director Gianna Taboni. By the way, sort of history's unfolding as you're making your documentary. You're trying to fight a bill. They're trying to fight a bill from being passed in South Carolina. It does eventually pass during the filming of the documentary.

[Alison Stewart]

What was it like to film a.

[Interview Host]

Story that was evolving day by day?

[Gianna Taboni]

It was really hard because we didn't have a lot of funding. And you never know when a governor is going to sign a bill into law, when a legislature is going to hear a bill. Sometimes you only get 24 hours notice. And we don't live in South Carolina. And so it was an incredible hurdle. And there were a lot of local partners that we had on the ground, like the Campaign for Southern Equality, an incredible organization where we'd get a text at 2 in the morning like, hey, I'm just getting word that they're going to vote on this tomorrow. We need you guys out here. We gotta find a way to cover this. And so we really relied on the families and kind of local advocates and politicians on the ground to give us a heads up of when things were happening. And then we also had to get creative from a filmmaking standpoint. We had to understand if we only have this many shoot days, what do we absolutely have to be there for and what can be made up after. And those judgment calls are really tough in the moment. But I have to say, I think we did it.

[Interview Host]

How often are you keeping up with these kids and These families.

[Gianna Taboni]

Every few days.

[Interview Host]

Really?

[Gianna Taboni]

Yeah, a couple of the families, you know, sometimes we'll go a couple weeks without talking, but right now we've been talking a lot. Yeah. In the last week, a couple of the families came out for one of the Tribeca screenings, which was so emotional, and they got a huge standing ovation in the theater. And, you know, for young people who live in really conservative areas, you know, who haven't met other trans people, who are very rarely around allies, to be in the middle of New York City at the Tribeca Film Festival with people coming up to them saying, hey, you're doing great. You know, thank you for inspiring me. I mean, that's life changing. You know, it's completely life changing. So that was really amazing to see. And, yeah, otherwise we're. We're checking in on them. You know, life continues to be hard because this country's in a really tough moment politically for them specifically. And so I check in on them to make sure they're doing okay.

[Interview Host]

You know, as states continue to limit gender affirming health care, and as the Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of the Tennessee band, what hope can you find for the future? What hope is there in the stories of these three families?

[Gianna Taboni]

Well, this community is so strong. I mean, they have been beaten down, you know, for decades, and they just continue to rise. The perseverance is unmatched. It's really kind of incredible to watch. And I think that's where everybody has to find hope. And then also in the medical community, they are also not backing down. As I've said, the medical evidence for this health care is strong and it's consistent. And I'll give you one example, Alison. The Utah legislature banned gender affirming care and then commissioned a study, you know, presumably to demonstrate that they were doing the right thing. And the study comes out a couple years later, which was in the last week, and do you know what it shows? It shows that gender affirming care is. Is. Creates great mental health outcomes, psychosocial outcomes, creates the desired body changes, and that there it's safe in terms of cardiovascular health and metabolic changes and bone health and cancer. It is safe. It is safe and effective. So I think the fact that the medical community has been right all along, and the studies continue to show that. I think that's where people can find hope as well.

[Interview Host]

What did you think it was going to be like before you started productions, and then what was it actually like to make this film.

[Gianna Taboni]

Going into production? We didn't know what was going to happen with any of these families. You know, I mean, we understood that they were at a very critical point, but we couldn't have guessed what would happen, you know, in the third, third quarter of the film, which, you know, as you know, is incredibly sort of, you know, dramatic. And so in the moment, you know, having filmed with these families before, I knew it would be an emotional journey. But, you know, I didn't know that Trump was going to do what he did. I didn't know that these families were going to get to a point where they, you know, where they were going to have to move and, you know, all of these kind of big life changes happen. So it was even kind of more emotional than I anticipated.

[Interview Host]

I have been speaking to director Gianna Taboni about her new documentary, Just Kids. The film explores the reality of being trans in a state where gender affirming health care for minors is limited or even banned. Its last showing is at the Tribeca Festival tonight at 5:45. Thank you for your time today. We really appreciate it.

[Gianna Taboni]

Thank you.

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