Mason Funk
Keynote Speaker: LGBTQ Rights Historian; Founder of OUTWORDS & Author of "The Book of Pride"
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Mason Funk Biography
Mason Funk was born and raised in Los Angeles and graduated from Stanford University with a BA in English in 1980. Over the next decade, Funk learned the art of writing while teaching high school English, coaching soccer, and working a wide variety of odd jobs, from picking apples to birthing sheep. He lived for seven years in Lisbon, Portugal, where he started writing for film and television. Returning to Los Angeles at 35, Funk began an award-winning career in nonfiction TV and film, writing and producing programs and documentaries on topics ranging from social issues to sports to science, and earning two Emmy nominations.
In 2014, Funk recognized that the individuals who launched the modern-day LGBTQ+ civil rights movement in the 1960s and '70s – one of the most remarkable social change movements in U.S. history – were becoming elders. It was imperative that their life stories, wisdom, and practical strategies for social change be recorded, preserved, and shared while they were still alive. Fueled by this vision, Funk founded The Outwords Archive (OUTWORDS) in 2016. To date, OUTWORDS has captured nearly 400 interviews with LGBTQ+ pioneers and elders in 47 states. In June 2019, OUTWORDS’ first interview anthology, entitled "The Book of Pride," was published by HarperCollins.
A dynamic speaker and storyteller, Funk has shared stories from OUTWORDS with a wide variety of audiences, including Google, Disney, Microsoft, AARP, the UK Ministry of Justice, and many others.
Funk and his husband, psychotherapist Jay Edwards, divide their time between the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Mason Funk and other top speakers and celebrities.
Mason Funk Speaking Topics
Since time immemorial, humanity has honored its elders as sources of wisdom, perspective, and grace. Today in America, we’re living in the presence of a unique throng of elders: the people who, over the past 50+ years ago, built the movement to lead lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people out of the shadows and intro mainstream society.
The path was steep – and this ragtag assembly of dreamers, visionaries and strategists had no roadmap. They only knew (or dared to believe) they didn’t have to live in the shadows any longer. And they succeeded. Today, LGBTQ people are welcomed in our families, workplaces, schools and churches.
The question is: how did they do it?
The answers are found inside a groundbreaking oral history project called OUTWORDS, which over the past decade has interviewed nearly 400 LGBTQ elders all across America. Join founder Mason Funk as he shares spellbinding written and video excerpts from OUTWORDS, teasing out the essential human qualities that built a remarkably successful social change movement – and which are relevant to each one of us today on our daily personal and professional journeys.
In mid-20th century America, straight was great. Everything else was unthinkable, unspeakable, perverse. If someone had said, “In 2025, openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people will be getting married, running major companies, attending PTA meetings, serving in the military, and even running for President,” no one would have believed it. Yet it’s true.
This radical reversal represents one of the most remarkable social change stories in history. The question is, how did the modern-day LGBTQ community arise?
The answers are found inside a groundbreaking oral history project called OUTWORDS, which has interviewed nearly 400 LGBTQ trailblazers and activists all across America. Join founder Mason Funk as he shares spellbinding written and video excerpts from OUTWORDS, weaving a rich tapestry of human courage and determination, and answering questions like:
- Where, when and how did the modern-day LGBTQ movement start?
- What qualities did the early leaders exhibit?
- What setbacks and victories did they experience along the way?
- How do LGBTQ elders see this current moment in American history?
Which personal characteristic is the strongest predictor of long-term happiness?
- Gratitude?
- Kindness?
- Determination?
- Resilience?
They’re all strong contenders – but the top prize goes to the quality of curiosity. Curiosity fuels all the other qualities that make for a full, contented life. Curiosity isn’t just a quality; it’s an attitude and a practice. Curiosity connects us to the world around us. It keeps life fresh. It awakens our senses – and our deepest emotions.
Curiosity inevitably leads to gratitude, because it opens our eyes to the beauty around us. It leads to kindness – because it’s hard to dislike someone we’re curious about. Same for determination and resilience: curiosity equips us to overcome difficult circumstances, helping us to ask what we can learn from life’s toughest challenges, and how we can help.
Award-winning author, journalist, filmmaker, and oral historian Mason Funk ("The Book of Pride") has built a career out of being curious. Join him for a compelling, inspiring talk that will awaken audience members’ innate curiosity, and equip them with tools for a more vibrant, satisfying life at work, at home, and in their communities.
In 2014, TIME magazine published a cover story featuring actress Laverne Cox under the headline "The Transgender Tipping Point," declaring that the transgender movement was “poised to challenge long-held cultural norms and beliefs” around gender. Just ten years later, Donald J. Trump used widespread public apprehension around transgender people to help him win back the White House.
The Trump campaign demonstrated that most Americans don’t feel a strong connection to the transgender community. What’s more, many Americans fear they’re going to be attacked and shamed for even having questions – especially about the hot-button issue of trans health care for minors.
Over the past ten years, Mason Funk has interviewed dozens of older transgender Americans including veterans, pastors, physicians and politicians. Join Funk as he shares compelling written and video excerpts from these interviews. Find inspiration in their stories, as well as answers to common questions such as:
- Are transgender people “born in the wrong body”?
- Is being transgender the same as being gay or lesbian?
- Why do I have to learn new pronouns for people?
- How can I be a better ally to trans people?
How do I book Mason Funk to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Mason Funk for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Mason Funk, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Mason Funk or any other speaker of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Mason Funk for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Mason Funk, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Mason Funk are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Mason Funk, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
What topics does Mason Funk speak about?
Mason Funk is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as LGBTQ, Civil Rights, Social Activism, Author, History and Storytelling.
Where does Mason Funk travel from?
Mason Funk generally travels from Palm Springs, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
Who is the agent for Mason Funk?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Mason Funk for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Mason Funk for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Mason Funk or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Mason Funk is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including LGBTQ, Civil Rights and Social Activism. The estimated speaking fee range to book Mason Funk for live events is $10,000 - $20,000, and for virtual events Below $10,000. Mason Funk generally travels from Palm Springs, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Meagan O'Nan, Darian Aaron and Jeffrey Marsh. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Mason Funk for an upcoming event.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Mason Funk Speaking Topics
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"We Changed the World": LGBTQ Elders Look Back
Since time immemorial, humanity has honored its elders as sources of wisdom, perspective, and grace. Today in America, we’re living in the presence of a unique throng of elders: the people who, over the past 50+ years ago, built the movement to lead lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people out of the shadows and intro mainstream society.
The path was steep – and this ragtag assembly of dreamers, visionaries and strategists had no roadmap. They only knew (or dared to believe) they didn’t have to live in the shadows any longer. And they succeeded. Today, LGBTQ people are welcomed in our families, workplaces, schools and churches.
The question is: how did they do it?
The answers are found inside a groundbreaking oral history project called OUTWORDS, which over the past decade has interviewed nearly 400 LGBTQ elders all across America. Join founder Mason Funk as he shares spellbinding written and video excerpts from OUTWORDS, teasing out the essential human qualities that built a remarkably successful social change movement – and which are relevant to each one of us today on our daily personal and professional journeys.
-
The Path of Progress: Milestones in a Groundbreaking Social Change Movement
In mid-20th century America, straight was great. Everything else was unthinkable, unspeakable, perverse. If someone had said, “In 2025, openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people will be getting married, running major companies, attending PTA meetings, serving in the military, and even running for President,” no one would have believed it. Yet it’s true.
This radical reversal represents one of the most remarkable social change stories in history. The question is, how did the modern-day LGBTQ community arise?
The answers are found inside a groundbreaking oral history project called OUTWORDS, which has interviewed nearly 400 LGBTQ trailblazers and activists all across America. Join founder Mason Funk as he shares spellbinding written and video excerpts from OUTWORDS, weaving a rich tapestry of human courage and determination, and answering questions like:
- Where, when and how did the modern-day LGBTQ movement start?
- What qualities did the early leaders exhibit?
- What setbacks and victories did they experience along the way?
- How do LGBTQ elders see this current moment in American history?
-
Life as an Open Door: Cultivating the Practice of Curiosity
Which personal characteristic is the strongest predictor of long-term happiness?
- Gratitude?
- Kindness?
- Determination?
- Resilience?
They’re all strong contenders – but the top prize goes to the quality of curiosity. Curiosity fuels all the other qualities that make for a full, contented life. Curiosity isn’t just a quality; it’s an attitude and a practice. Curiosity connects us to the world around us. It keeps life fresh. It awakens our senses – and our deepest emotions.
Curiosity inevitably leads to gratitude, because it opens our eyes to the beauty around us. It leads to kindness – because it’s hard to dislike someone we’re curious about. Same for determination and resilience: curiosity equips us to overcome difficult circumstances, helping us to ask what we can learn from life’s toughest challenges, and how we can help.
Award-winning author, journalist, filmmaker, and oral historian Mason Funk ("The Book of Pride") has built a career out of being curious. Join him for a compelling, inspiring talk that will awaken audience members’ innate curiosity, and equip them with tools for a more vibrant, satisfying life at work, at home, and in their communities.
-
Honest Questions, Authentic Answers: Understanding the Experiences of Transgender People
In 2014, TIME magazine published a cover story featuring actress Laverne Cox under the headline "The Transgender Tipping Point," declaring that the transgender movement was “poised to challenge long-held cultural norms and beliefs” around gender. Just ten years later, Donald J. Trump used widespread public apprehension around transgender people to help him win back the White House.
The Trump campaign demonstrated that most Americans don’t feel a strong connection to the transgender community. What’s more, many Americans fear they’re going to be attacked and shamed for even having questions – especially about the hot-button issue of trans health care for minors.
Over the past ten years, Mason Funk has interviewed dozens of older transgender Americans including veterans, pastors, physicians and politicians. Join Funk as he shares compelling written and video excerpts from these interviews. Find inspiration in their stories, as well as answers to common questions such as:
- Are transgender people “born in the wrong body”?
- Is being transgender the same as being gay or lesbian?
- Why do I have to learn new pronouns for people?
- How can I be a better ally to trans people?
VIDEO
Mason Funk Videos
FAQS
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How do I book Mason Funk to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Mason Funk for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Mason Funk, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Mason Funk or any other speaker of your choice. -
How much does it cost to book Mason Funk for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Mason Funk, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Mason Funk are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and Below $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Mason Funk, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Mason Funk speak about?
Mason Funk is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as LGBTQ, Civil Rights, Social Activism, Author, History and Storytelling. -
Where does Mason Funk travel from?
Mason Funk generally travels from Palm Springs, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. -
Who is the agent for Mason Funk?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Mason Funk for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Mason Funk for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Mason Funk or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
BOOK MASON FUNK
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