In America there are many marginalized and discriminated groups, including Mexicans, women, Muslims, etc. A group that continues to be one of the most misunderstood and a target for hate crimes are transgender individuals. In the first two months of this year, seven transgender people were killed, almost one per week. In a time when acceptance of the LGBT community is on the rise, unfortunately, so is violence against transsexual individuals. Buzzfeed news reported that hate motivated crimes against LGBT people declined by 32 percent in 2014 compared to the previous year, but the same violence against transgender people rose 14 percent. So how can we curb an alarming issue like this? Surprisingly, the answer may be education through reality television.

In so many instances it seems like these shows are anything but reality. When expressing my disdain for it, I often find myself telling people, “I’ve seen cartoons that are more realistic than ‘reality TV.’” Although my statement might be an exaggeration, the amount of staging and scripting that goes into much of reality television is definitely contradictory to the word reality. Fortunately, this year, there have been a few reality television shows that prove the genre can have substance due to their earnestness in educating people about transgender people and the issues they face.

The first reality television show released this year that highlights such issues is ABC Family’s “Becoming Us,” which follows a family whose father has undergone a gender transition. There is also TLC’s “I Am Jazz,” which debuted in July, and is unique because it follows Jazz Jennings, a teenager who was diagnosed with gender dysphoria at age 5, making her one of the youngest documented people with gender dysphoria. Arguably the most notable of the reality shows following transgender people and highlighting their issues is “I Am Cait,” which airs on the E! Network. This show has the potential for the most impact because it features well-renowned athlete and celebrity, Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner. The show follows the transition into her new life as a woman, and while doing so, highlights the issues that she faces in order to gain acceptance in not only the transgender community, but the world.

“I Am Cait” opens the series with a serious tone, with the first episode addressing a very serious issue: the high suicide rate among transgender people. The National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that 4.6 percent of Americans have attempted suicide, while 41 percent of transgender people have attempted suicide. Continuing its serious tone, Caitlyn visits the parents of Kyler Prescott, a teenager who committed suicide due to transphobia. Transphobia is an issue that is rarely spoken about, but thanks to “I Am Cait” and these other informative reality television shows, more attention is rightfully being drawn to it.

It is important that reality shows like “Becoming Us,” “I Am Jazz,” and “I Am Cait” are being broadcast because they help educate society, lower the misunderstanding of the transsexual community, and increase acceptance. By doing this, and highlighting the prevalence and damage caused by transphobia, real social change can happen. Surveys chronicled in the book"The Lives of Transgender People" found that 60 percent of those interviewed experienced violence or harassment due to transphobia. Transphobia leads to discrimination in healthcare, the workplace, politics, and the government. Considering many marginalized groups still face discrimination today, no one can expect transgenders to be completely relieved of the hate that fuels their discrimination. Hopefully, though, with these informative reality television shows, and other such efforts, these issues will cease to be as prevalent, and transgender individuals will be able to live their lives in peace like every human being deserves to.