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Mason J. Dunn

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Mason J. Dunn
Photograph of Mason Dunn smiling and wearing a navy blue and white suit
Born1985
Southern California
EducationUniversity of New Hampshire School of Law
Occupation(s)Attorney, Educator, & LGBTQ+ Rights Advocate
EmployerMassachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Known forTransgender Activism
Websitehttps://malgbtcc.org/about/team/mason-dunn/

Mason J. Dunn (born 1985) is an American lawyer, educator, and LGBTQ+ rights advocate based in Massachusetts (MA). Dunn is known for their long-standing work in transgender rights and public policy, including co-chairing the "Yes on 3" campaign, which successfully preserved transgender protections in MA's public accommodations law. They currently serve as the Director of Education and Research at the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, where they provide inclusivity training and resources for businesses across the state. Dunn is a nonbinary, trans masculine, and bisexual/queer identifying Jewish person who uses he/him or they/them pronouns.[1][2]

Early life and education

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Dunn is originally from Southern California. Assigned female at birth, Dunn had experienced challenges related to gender identity throughout adolescence. As an 18-year-old undergraduate student, Dunn discovered that the term "transgender" provided a framework for understanding his experiences.[3] After encountering a lack of awareness about transgender and gender-nonconforming identities among faculty and staff, Dunn conducted research on these topics and began lecturing in various university courses. His advocacy expanded to launching a Safe Zone project, leading the campus Gay-Straight Alliance, and collaborating with statewide student advocacy groups.[4][5] During this time, Dunn also experienced difficulty accessing trans-competent healthcare resources, including mental health support and treatment for severe endometriosis, which became life-threatening after he was repeatedly denied a hysterectomy.[6]

Dunn eventually relocated to New England and attended the University of New Hampshire (UNH) School of Law, graduating in 2012 with his JD. At UNH, Dunn was part of the Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program, which provided practical legal training, and completed internships with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Human Rights Commission.[7] Dunn is a licensed attorney and a member of the New Hampshire Bar Association.[8]

Career and activism

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Dunn has been involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy for over 15 years, with a particular focus on advancing gender equity.[7] In 2013, they became the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition. In this role, Dunn advocated for non-discrimination protections, including the 2016 addition of public accommodations to MA's civil rights laws.[1][9][10]

In 2018, Dunn co-chaired the “Yes on 3” campaign, which successfully defended MA's trans-inclusive public accommodations law through a statewide referendum in the nation's first ever statewide vote on transgender rights.[11][12][13] Following this, he joined Keshet in 2019 as the organization’s first Director of Advocacy, focusing on intersectional LGBTQ+ rights within the Jewish community.[14][15] From 2020-2023, Dunn served as the Deputy Director of the Division of Education and Training at Fenway Health's National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center.[16] In 2023, Dunn joined the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce as Director of Education and Research, overseeing LGBTQ+ inclusivity training for businesses.[1][7][17]

Dunn is an adjunct faculty member at the University of New Hampshire, where they teach in the Communications Department. Dunn also serves on the boards of The Equality Federation and the Massachusetts LGBTQ Youth Commission, and is the vice-chair of the Tewksbury Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.[1][18]

Honors and awards

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Dunn has received several awards in recognition of their LGBTQ+ advocacy, including:

  • Massachusetts LGBTQ+ Leader from MassLive (2023)[1]
  • The Kidder Award for LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Education from the University of New Hampshire (2018)[19]
  • The Advocate for Justice Award from the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Rotondo, Irene (2024-02-18). "LGBTQ+ Leaders: Political activist Mason Dunn is inspired by empathy". MassLive. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  2. ^ Eisenstadter, Dave (2024-02-29). "These are the LGBTQ+ leaders of Mass., chosen by MassLive readers". MassLive. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  3. ^ "A Person's Right To Choose". www.wbur.org. 2019-06-06. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  4. ^ Quinn, Cristina (2019-08-20). "Transgender And Non-Binary Students Face 'Enormous' Disparities In Mental Health Problems, Study Finds". GBH. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  5. ^ "Equality Federation". www.equalityfederation.org. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  6. ^ "A Person's Right To Choose". www.wbur.org. 2019-06-06. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  7. ^ a b c "Alumni Spotlight - Mason Dunn, JD '12". Franklin Pierce School of Law. 2023-06-28. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  8. ^ "NH Legal Community Presents Legal Leaders & Allies Summit on LGBTQ+ Inclusivity". New Hampshire Bar Association. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  9. ^ The Rainbow Times (2013-07-24). "Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition Announces New Executive Director". The Rainbow Times | New England's Largest LGBTQ Newspaper | Boston. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  10. ^ "Transgender rights lie in the hands of a state's electorate". NBC News. 2018-10-19. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  11. ^ Phelps, Rob (2018-11-05). "Montana and Washington state foundations match donations for Massachusetts Yes on 3 campaign | Boston Spirit Magazine". Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  12. ^ Barasch, Alex (2018-11-07). "The Campaign to Preserve Massachusetts' Trans Protections Was Successful Because It Centered Trans People". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  13. ^ "Transgender rights lie in the hands of a state's electorate". NBC News. 2018-10-19. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  14. ^ Pelavin, Jordan (2019-03-20). "Meet Keshet's Director of Advocacy, Mason Dunn". My Jewish Learning. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  15. ^ "Staff Profile: Mason Dunn". WBUR. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  16. ^ The Fenway Institute (2022-03-24). "The Fenway Institute To Host Book Launch For Groundbreaking Guide To Transgender And Gender Diverse Health Care - Fenway Health". fenwayhealth.org. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  17. ^ "Meet the Team: Mason J. Dunn". Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  18. ^ Impink, Paige (March 25, 2023). "Tewksbury shines its Pride Month lights". Tewksbury Town Crier. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  19. ^ University of New Hampshire. "Kidder Fund Award Recipients". Diversity, Equity, Access & Inclusion. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  20. ^ Law, Jewish Alliance for; Presents, Social Action. "2019 Annual Meeting: Living Our Values". JewishBoston. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
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