Terry Angel Mason: PRIDE of the LGBT Community

Pulitzer Nominated Author and Advocate Raising Awareness and Defending Gay Rights

Terry Angel Mason is an internationally-renowned author, keynote speaker, poet, singer, songwriter, minister, and civil rights activist who currently resides is Southern California. He is the author of two popular titles, Love Won’t Let Me Be Silent and They Say That I am Broken. The Dream Keeper, Mason’s third contribution, is slated for release in 2012.

“I think the best way to describe Terry would be to say he is a revered leader and global change agent,” stated Florence Edwards, Mason’s business associate and friend.

“His mission is to inspire, educate and empower millions around the world, and promote love and acceptance for all people.”

The author and LGBT advocate has been making local and international headlines since the release of his first book, Love Won’t Let Me Be Silent, a gripping tome that offers strategies to help parents, families, ministers, teachers and community leaders effectively understand and support gay teens, young adults and people infected with HIV/AIDS.

Mason has also been garnering local and national praise for his latest literary release titled, They Say That I Am Broken, which deals with a plethora of issues affecting the Same-Gender-Loving community, including homophobia in the Black church, HIV, DADT (Don't Ask Don't Tell), gay marriage, homeless gay children, and more.

“The book also features captivating articles about CNN anchor and author Don Lemon, Los Angeles Lakers’ basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, and much more,” stated Mason.
  

“They Say That I Am Broken is poised to gain worldwide recognition, as it affirms God’s love for all people, and eloquently dissects race, religion and homosexuality through empowering essays, poems and stories,” Mason added.

A survivor of full-blown AIDS and cancer, Mason was selected as Real Health’s Magazine Advocate of the Month and featured in www.HealthyBlackMen.org -- for the month of December -- for World AIDS Day.

Mason's books have touched millions of lives and have been submitted for a Pulitzer Prize and numerous awards, including the Lambda Literary Award and the Stonewall Awards.

Since his international debut, Mason has sparked worldwide debate about pressing issues affecting African-Americans and the gay and lesbian community. The celebrated blogger and columnist recently published an article about SB 48, (The Fair Education Act; a law that requires schools to include LGBT history), and denounced the black religious community’s actions to overturn the bill, citing that their intolerance and support of inequality promotes more bullying, discrimination and violence in the gay community.

The article received numerous responses and led to him to being featured in the December issue of Connextion Magazine. View page 60 via the following link to read the full article:

http://www.calameo.com/read/0003904676b6cb3a1a2a5

The highly sought after writer and speaker has been featured in the following publications and/or news venues: (Lee Bailey's) eurweb.com, The East County Magazine, Five (5) Magazine, Whosoever Magazine, SGL Weekly Magazine, Outword Magazine, The NBJC Newsletter, The Advocate, Frontier Magazine, Broadway World, The Windy City Times Newspaper, New Pittsburgh Courier, New England Informer, Our Weekly Magazine, Out Impact, The San Diego Gay and Lesbian News, The San Diego Gay and Lesbian Times, The San Diego Union Tribune, ME Magazine, POZ Magazine, The New Civil Rights Online Magazine, A&U Magazine, Religious Tolerance, Marriage Equality International, Homorazzi, BN&S News Commentary, Real Health Magazine, Q Magazine, MSNBC News Vine, ILGA, Out Military Online Magazine, Proud Parenting Web Magazine, Fuse Magazine, Echelon Magazine, The Bay Area Reporter, Connextions Magazine, and in many other publications.

To purchase Mason’s books, read breaking news stories, feature articles, interviews, or obtain more information about the author, visit his website at www.TerryAngelMason.com.

Photos were provided by Florence Edwards, who can be reached at (310) 746-7149 or florence.edwards1976@gmail.com. 

Cuomo: 'Marriage Equality is a Matter of Fairness and Legal Security for Thousands in This State'

New York Governor Proposes Marriage Equality Act

Governor Cuomo has submitted a program bill to bring marriage equality to New York state. The Marriage Equality Act permits all couples to enter into marriage in New York state, thereby removing the current barrier same-sex couples face in recognizing their relationships, protecting their families and obtaining essential benefits.

Specifically, the Act grants same-sex couples who seek to marry equal status under the law as well as hundreds of rights, benefits and protections that are currently limited to married couples of the opposite sex.

"From the fight for women's suffrage to the struggle for civil rights, New Yorkers have been on the right side of history. But on the issue of marriage equality, our state has fallen behind," Governor Cuomo said.

"For too long, same-sex couples have been denied the freedom to marry, as well as hundreds of rights that other New Yorkers take for granted. Marriage Equality is a matter of fairness and legal security for thousands of families in this state – not of religion or culture. When it comes to fighting for what's right, New Yorkers wrote the book, and Marriage Equality is the next chapter of our civil rights story."

The U.S. Supreme Court has held that the freedom to marry is "one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free people." Further, the state assigns hundreds of protections, benefits and mutual responsibilities in a variety of areas to couples who marry, including health care and hospital visitation rights, child custody issues and financial matters.

However, in New York, many individuals who currently seek to exercise the freedom to marry their partners may not do so solely because they are of the same sex.

The Marriage Equality Act would remove these barriers by amending New York's Domestic Relations Law to state that a marriage that is otherwise valid shall be valid regardless of whether the parties to the marriage are of the same or different sex; no government treatment or legal status, effect, right, belief, privilege, protection or responsibility relating to marriage shall differ based on the parties to the marriage being the same sex or a different sex; all relevant gender-specific language set forth in or referenced by New York law shall be construed in a gender-neutral manner; and no application for a marriage license shall be denied on the ground that the parties are of the same or a different sex.

To ensure that the bill does not intrude into matters of religious belief, the Marriage Equality Act affirms that no member of the clergy can be compelled to solemnize any marriage. This bill grants equal access to the government-created legal institution of civil marriage while leaving the religious institution of marriage to its own separate and fully autonomous sphere.

The bill also guarantees that religious institutions and benevolent organizations such as the Knights of Columbus remain free to choose who may use their facilities for marriage ceremonies and celebrations or to whom they provide religious services, consistent with their religious principles.

New York has always been at the forefront in advancing equal rights. In 1983, New York banned discrimination based on sexual orientation in state employment. In 2002, the state extended the same principle to the private sector by enacting the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act.

That same year, the state recognized same-sex relationships by extending workers' compensation benefits to all those who lost a partner on 9/11. Passage of the Marriage Equality Act represents yet another significant step in granting full and equal rights to all citizens of New York state.

The Marriage Equality Act bill memo is available here. The bill text is available here.

Image courtesy of http://www.publicdomainpictures.net

'It's Important that Schools Teach Core Values of Tolerance'

Addabbo Co-Sponsors Bill to Require Hate Crimes Curriculum in All NYS Schools

Responding to last month’s gang-related murder in his district of a young man by five teens now charged with manslaughter, who also are being investigated by the NYPD for hate crimes, New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr. (D-Queens), a member of the Senate’s Education Committee, is co-sponsoring a bill (S.269), which would raise awareness about hate crimes through curriculum in the schools. Addabbo supported this bill in the Education Committee and the bill has been sent to the full Senate for a vote.

The Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating last month’s murder as to whether the suspects shouted anti-gay slurs at the victim and whether he was chased and bludgeoned to death on a Woodhaven street because he was perceived to be gay.

The proposed new law requires a course of instruction in the awareness of hate crimes in our schools, so that every child in New York State will become educated on the commission of hate crimes. Hate crimes mean offenses that are committed based upon the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of the victim. The instruction will include examples of symbols and objects associated with hate crimes and the events and historical significance surrounding such symbols and objects. Such a course will also focus on the moral aspects and legal implications of such offenses and promote attitudes of tolerance and acceptance.

The law requires the board of education, trustees, principal or other person in charge of every public, private and parochial school in New York State to arrange for giving such course of instruction in every school under its/his or her control to every pupil for a period of not less than 45 minutes in each month during which such school is in session. The law will take effect on the first of September following the date on which it becomes a law.

“This bill offers a valuable course to increase an understanding of the seriousness of hate crimes among all students in New York State. It is important that our schools teach core values of tolerance, acceptance and knowledge to all children in order to prevent hate crimes,” said Addabbo.

The senator believes that students should be taught about the vile nature of hate crimes and that such instruction will directly combat negative language and stereotypes that are prevalent in today’s society. In addition, Addabbo is hopeful that this instruction will educate our youth about the implications and dire consequences of hate crimes, and will provide them with a better understanding of the differences in each person.