Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor for the second year in a row to read the book ``I Am Jazz,'' a children's book about transgender youth cowritten by Jazz Jennings, pictured here, and Jessica Herthel. After an LGBT hate group forced a school to cancel a reading of this book 2 years ago, a movement was launched. Every year since, readings have been held across the country to increase understanding and to show young people that they are welcomed and loved. Last year I read this book from the House floor, and today I am proud to join this movement to read it again. ``I Am Jazz.'' For as long as I can remember, my favorite color has been pink. My second favorite color is silver, and my third favorite color is green. Here are some of the many other things I like to do: dancing, singing, backflips, drawing, soccer, swimming, makeup, and pretending I am a pop star. Most of all, I love mermaids. Sometimes I even wear a mermaid tail in the pool. My best friends are Samantha and Casey. We always have fun together. We like high heels and princess gowns or cartwheels and trampolines. But I am not exactly like Samantha and Casey. I have a girl brain but a boy body. This is called transgender. I was born this way. When I was very little and my mom would say, ``You are such a good boy,'' I would say, ``No, Mama. Good girl.'' At first my family was confused. They had always thought of me as a boy.…”