Ep 41: The Redemptive Power of Inclusion with Mason Aid

Welcome to INHABIT! Today's show is deeply inspiring and loaded with powerful insight. I really hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did. Our guest today is Mason Aid. Mason is a consultant/educator for businesses and organizations to help them achieve greater LGBTQ inclusivity. Mason has a powerful story of moving from self-hatred to self-love and acceptance. Their self-acceptance & love has blossomed into creating connections and inclusiveness as a lifestyle and now a business. I would love to hear the biggest insight you get from today's show! Comment in the show notes or email me at [email protected].   In this episode: *Mason's initial struggle with mental health as sparked by bullying * Mason realizing at 19 that they were gay * How the seed for their business was planted and started to grow * Mason's realization that their parents had long been accepting and supportive even before they realized it * Mason's realization that when someone comes out, their family comes out too, and it comes with it's own challenges for the family * Why Mason thinks we're all a little bit in the closet * Mason's experience of finding and cultivating deep true love * The lessons Mason has gained from parenthood * Mason's deep understanding of the difference in standards for men and women * Mason's experience in being excommunicated from their church, and later being welcomed by a inclusive and loving church/faith community   CONNECT WITH MASON themasonaid.com Connect with Mason on Facebook Connect with Mason on Instagram   RESOURCES autostraddle.com Founded in March 2009 by Riese Bernard and Alexandra Vega and still run by a dedicated team of passionate weirdos, Autostraddle is an intelligent, hilarious & provocative voice and a progressively feminist online community for multiple generations of kickass lesbian, bisexual & otherwise inclined ladies (and their friends). Autostraddle is a serious labor of love that started out as a group of friends wanting to start a revolution and is now the world’s most popular lesbian website, with over one million unique visitors and 3.5 million views per month.    www.glsen.org GLSEN (pronounced "glisten") was founded in 1990 by a small, but dedicated group of teachers in Massachusetts who came together to improve an education system that too frequently allows its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students to be bullied, discriminated against, or fall through the cracks.  Over 25 years later, that small group has grown into the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for LGBTQ students.   Follow IN{HABIT} Podcast on Facebook, thru my Instagram! Also on twitter now @INHABITPodcast! This show is about YOU, and for YOU, the women of the world and I love hearing from you! How did this episode remind you of your own life! Share your stories and experiences in the comments below, or email me at [email protected].   Hey! Want to read awesome books full of wisdom, science, and inspiration to up-level your Radical Self-Care? Sweet! Join the IN{HABIT} Book of the Month Club and receive monthly book recommendations straight to your email. Plus, I'll be doing book club reviews via fb live in our IN{HABIT} Community Facebook group, and I would love to see you there! xo, monica