(R-L) Jay, Pamela and their adorable “flower girl” Cheddar (TLC)
New TLC series Jay & Pamela is taking the US by storm at the moment, which is particularly great to see as one half of the reality TV couple, Jay Manuel, is a transgender man.
At a time when transgender people and their rights are increasingly under attack in the US under Donald Trump, it’s incredibly refreshing to see positive representation on screen: and the preview of next week’s episode is possibly the most positive yet, as it focuses on the couple planning their wedding.
Jay Manuel and his fiancée Pamela Chavez first appeared on TLC in March, with the series focusing on the couple and how they deal with OI.
OI, also known as brittle bone disease, is a “a genetic condition present from birth” which leads to “fractures usually caused by minimal impact”, Great Ormond Street Hospital records.
The reality show follows the couple as they plan to marry and realise their goal to live more independently by moving out of Jay’s parents’ basement apartment, where they’ve lived for the last five years.
Jay has also opened up about his experiences as a trans man on the show, disclosing to viewers that he realised he was transgender “somewhere in high school”, adding: “I didn’t have the words to articulate how I felt. I’ve been out to my family for over five years now and I’m really grateful that I have a great partner and my parents are accepting.”
In the preview clip for the next episode of the show, Jay and Pamela head to a pet supply shop to pick up a fairly unusual item for their dog Cheddar: a flower girl outfit.
As they arrive at the store, Pamela immediately clocks the fact that there are adorable outfits on display that would fit their dainty little lapdog, and although Jay is initially a bit reluctant to spend money on what, to be fair, is a pretty frivolous item, he’s quickly won over by how cute Cheddar looks in her outfit.
“Cheddar! This is your moment,” Pamela explains as the pup does a turn on the catwalk… or should that be dogwalk?
In a separate clip back at the house, he explains that he sources his signature bow ties very cheaply online: and every single trans masc person watching probably wished he’d said where exactly that was, as Jay always looks incredibly smart and well dressed.
The TLC reality series “Jay & Pamela” premiered on March 4, 2025, at 10 PM ET and airs new episodes every Tuesday at the same time.
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