Pop’n’Olly, a YouTube channel that provides LGBT educational videos for children, parents, and teachers, has just released a wonderful transgender Cinderella story.
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She realizes that she hasn’t created a disguise but rather has transformed herself into what she has always wanted her reflection to be.
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Olly Pike is the creative mind behind the channel and uses animations in his videos. This particular video, called, “Jaime – A Transgender Fairytale,” features Jaime who is bullied by her older brothers and their mean fairy godmother. Jaime’s only wish was to “feel right, because she didn’t. She didn’t feel right at all. Not in her body, that is.” However, her brothers’ fairy godmother would never grant her a wish.
Like the story of Cinderella, there’s a royal ball with a princess. Jaime’s brother’s don’t allow her to go to the ball so she figures out a way to go on her own by building a pumpkin car and creating a disguise. The disguise included making a suit and eventually cutting off her hair, which is when she realizes that she hasn’t created a disguise but rather has transformed herself into what she has always wanted her reflection to be.
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When Jaime looked into the mirror after her transformation she realized that she was a boy. “I’m a boy! I always have been!” Jaime exclaimed and is then hugged by his mice friends.
Pop’n’Olly did a wonderful job in expressing the feelings of transgender youth and the positive outcomes of becoming who you are.
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Jaime arrived at the ball in the amazing pumpkin car and asked the princess to dance with him. The princess was intrigued and captivated by Jaime, his story, and his honesty, as Jaime told the princess everything that had occurred that evening.
It’s a wonderful story that focuses on a transgender boy that becomes himself without magic, but with his own skills and hard work. Better yet, he rises above bullying and finds his own happiness in who he is. Pop’n’Olly did a wonderful job in expressing the feelings of transgender youth and the positive outcomes of becoming who you are. It was also amazing to see diversity in the video with the princess of a different race than Jaime.
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Actor and YouTube star Lewis Hancox, who plays one of the evil brothers, told Gay Star News, “When I was a kid I didn’t know what being transgender was, all I knew was how I felt,’ he said. ‘It was something that just wasn’t talked about. Having a character like Jamie, who is cool and positive, someone kids can look up to, will make the world of difference!”
“Kids who feel different won’t feel like they are the only ones, and the others will understand that being trans isn’t scary or weird – it’s just one small aspect of you.”
Jamie is not a transgender story to end all transgender stories – everyones journey is different and this is just one story.
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Lewis added, “There are too many sad stories out there. We need to give people hope! And what better way to tackle prejudice than reach the younger generation.”
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When speaking to Inclusive News, Olly, the creator, said, “How can we teach inclusiveness without the resources to do so? It felt hugely important to cover this subject, it felt like the next natural step following our same sex romance fairy tale, Prince Henry, and our Pride based story, Little Red Riding Dude. We are a channel that teaches LGBT+ education, so how could we not?”
He also explained that he received help when creating the story:
“I do know what it is like to feel different, however I do not have first hand experience of what is like to be transgender. So yes I wanted to run it past a few people who did have experience first, as it was vital that I told this story in the correct way. I was very grateful for the time and advice I received from various individuals who looked over this story, and they were very happy with what I had come up with. They even helped me to further my understanding of being transgender, which has been fantastic and wonderful to learn.”
Olly added an important note about the need for more LGBT youth stories:
“Jamie is not a transgender story to end all transgender stories – everyones journey is different and this is just one story, this is Jamie’s story. If anything, I hope it encourages others to write more content like this, as it is surely needed.”
By Alex Temblador
This article was previously published on The Next Family.
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Photo: Getty Images
Video: YouTube/Pop’n’Olly