James Duke Mason
| James Duke Mason | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
April 27, 1992 Los Angeles |
| Occupation | Writer, political activist |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Website | |
|
jamesdukemason | |
James Duke Mason (born April 27, 1992) is an American politician, writer, and political activist. He is the son of singer Belinda Carlisle and film producer Morgan Mason, and the grandson of the late British actor James Mason. In 2010, The Advocate listed Mason as one of the most influential young LGBT Americans in their "Forty Under 40" issue.[1] He was named in OUT magazine's 2011 "Out 100" issue as one of the 100 most influential LGBT people in the world.[2]
Personal life
Born in Los Angeles, Mason moved to Europe with his parents as a child.[3] In an Attitude Magazine interview,[4] Mason stated that he is openly gay and that he came out to his family and friends at the age of 14 in 2006.[3] After graduating from Mougins School, an international school in the south of France in July 2010, Mason moved back to the U.S. to study political science at California Lutheran University. After a year he moved to West Hollywood, California to focus on his efforts in grassroots advocacy.
Career
He was appointed to serve as a Page in the U.S. House of Representatives during the summer of 2008, and also worked as a volunteer for Hillary Clinton during the 2008 Democratic primaries. He has appeared on TV shows such as Dr. Phil, Nancy Grace, and Politicking with Larry King to discuss LGBT issues, has written articles for websites such as The Huffington Post and The Advocate, and did a YouTube video to back the It Gets Better campaign. He served as an official surrogate for the campaign of Barack Obama in the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election. He had a small acting role in the film What Happens Next, which screened as part of the Hollywood Film Festival. He served on the board of directors of Outfest from January 2012 to January 2015, making him the youngest member in the organization's 30-year history. He was a candidate for the West Hollywood City Council in the March 3, 2015 election.
References
- ↑ Contributors, Advocate (April 7, 2010). "Forty Under 40". Advocate.com. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
- ↑ "17th Annual Out100 | Out Magazine". Out.com. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Melloy, Kilian (September 24, 2009). "James Duke Mason interview with Edge Publications". Edgesanfrancisco.com. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
- ↑ "James Duke Mason and Belinda Carlisle in Attitude Magazine". Perezhilton.com. December 16, 2009. Retrieved 2013-05-29.