When this photo was taken in 2017, Avery Jackson was 9 years old. Until she was 5, she lived as a boy. However, since 2012, with the support and love of her family, she has been able to embrace her identity as a transgender girl and live authentically in her warm home in Kansas City, USA.
Photographer Robin Hammond met Avery Jackson while working on National Geographic magazine's January 2017 special issue, Gender Revolution. He described her, saying, “Avery radiates strong confidence and energy, and her photo conveys, “I am proud of who I am, I am happy, I am just an ordinary little girl”.
In 2017, this photo made 9-year-old Avery the first transgender person to appear on the cover of National Geographic. However, her uniqueness lies not in her identity, but in the fact that her family loves her for who she truly is. Even though the world’s mindset is becoming more open, many children still suffer because their families do not accept their gender identity or sexual orientation.
Years later, photographer Robin Hammond reached out to Avery again while creating Love in Illegal Places, a platform to give voice to those struggling with gender issues. Avery told Robin that her biggest challenge has been losing friends and working hard to maintain her confidence. Because of her transgender identity, Avery lost some friends, which made her constantly remind herself to become the person she is meant to be and to believe she deserves friends who accept her true self.
Most people tend to reject what they are unfamiliar with or do not understand, but that does not mean that these differences are wrong. This photo of Avery Jackson, through her differences, makes her more complete and gives the world an opportunity to understand the transgender community. With her confident, radiant, and powerful image full of hope, this photo has opened up a meaningful conversation about gender issues worldwide.
