JASON RANTZ

Rantz: Trans book controversy reveals school board president owns all-ages sex shop

May 9, 2021, 2:08 PM | Updated: May 10, 2021, 10:59 am

Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH and headshot from Bellingham School Board website) Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the School Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH) Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the School Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH) Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the School Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH) Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the School Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH) Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the School Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH) Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the School Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH) Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the School Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH) Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the School Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH) Jenn Mason is the owner of a sex shop called WinkWink, and is also the School Board Director for the Bellingham School District. This is the old storefront, but is virtually the same since they moved across the street. (Photo: Jason Rantz Show/KTTH)

A controversy over a transgender book read in a first grade Bellingham classroom reveals the district’s school board president owns an all-ages sex shop.

Some parents were upset to learn a teacher read to their young students the book I Am Jazz. The children’s book introduces readers to transgenderism via a child who, at the age of 2, was “pretending to be a boy.” At a young age, the boy met a doctor who labeled him transgender. Based on a real person, the character presented as a female and went by the name Jazz.

Complaints to the teacher went nowhere, so parents contacted Bellingham School Board President Jenn Mason. Those complaints fell on deaf ears. Now we may know why.

School board president owns an all-ages sex shop

Parents told Young America’s Foundation, which first reported the controversy, that they escalated their complaints to the school board.

Led by Mason, who was elected in 2017, the board “refused to take action.” If parents were expecting her to side with their concerns on introducing children to sexuality or gender identity, they were in for a rude awakening.

Mason isn’t just the school board president. She is also a private sex coach and small business owner.

According to her Facebook page, Mason owns WinkWink. It bills itself as an “all-ages, inclusive, not creepy sex shop in Bellingham, WA.” She aims to “banish shame, and help our customers to better love themselves and others.” She told Western Washington University’s student newspaper Western Front that she’ll only sell to customers 16-years-old and older, but all ages are welcome inside.

Mason’s sex coach training comes from the Sexology Institute. According to her website, she is a certified sex educator through the American College of Sexologists.

Of course, Mason won’t help parents

It makes sense that Mason won’t help parents concerned over transgender issues introduced to young children. A quick view of her positions suggests she endorses the message.

Mason is a social justice activist who believes “normalizing, accepting, and affirming all bodies, identities, and gender experiences is an inherently political act.” Her store sells items relating to gender identity.

On Facebook, she announced she was adding her personal pronouns to her email signatures. She made a move out of duty to “build more inclusive spaces for our trans and non-binary friends.” The goal of I Am Jazz is to do just that: create more acceptance to trans children, even if parents object to the material as age-inappropriate.

Is Mason’s job a problem?

Some will say this is a story of Mason’s job as a sex shop owner. It’s hard to ignore it. It’s ironic to have a “not creepy sex shop” when you own and operate an all-ages sex shop. But I’m not sure her sex shop owner status should matter that much, per se.

The school board position is an elected one. Who the community elects is up to them. So long as she’s not hiding her shop, and I have no reason to believe she is, that’s not the issue. The issue is that Mason isn’t listening to all of the parents.

If Mason is truly ignoring the parents who find the material objectionable, what good is she as a school board president? She is only abiding by her own personal ideological beliefs. So what good is she on the board?

For her part, she’s not just ignoring the concerns of parents. She’s ignoring the questions of this talk show host. Mason hasn’t returned two emails nor a phone call requesting comment.

Did you like this opinion piece? Then listen to the Jason Rantz Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (or HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow @JasonRantz  on  Twitter,  Instagram, and Parler and like me on Facebook

Jason Rantz on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to jason rantzTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 3-7pm toThe Jason Rantz Show.

Jason Rantz Show

Jason Rantz

Image: The Stevens County Sheriff's Office says it recently received an odd call from a Sasquatch h...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Sheriff’s office asked legality of hunting Sasquatch in Stevens County

A Sasquatch hunter had an interesting question for the Stevens County sheriff. Is it legal to hunt Sasquatch?

10 hours ago

Image: Children bike past Wilson Elementary in Spokane....

Jason Rantz

Rantz: ‘Racist’ Spokane elementary school’s ‘slaves and hobos’ ignites controversy

After a teacher told students they could dress as "slaves and hobos" for an event, the Spokane NAACP cried foul.

1 day ago

Images: At left, Bellevue Police Department Officer Kevin Bereta is seen in his uniform. At right, ...

Julia Dallas

Bellevue officer injured in VP Harris motorcade recalls road to reclaiming benefits

Bellevue Police Officer Kevin Bereta's life changed while he was on VP Kamala Harris' service detail during her visit to Washington.

1 day ago

permanent supportive housing...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: You’re being lied to about permanent supportive housing in Redmond

Redmond residents rightly push back against permanent supportive housing as a solution for the homeless, as Seattle media get in the way.

2 days ago

WA State Attorney General Bob Ferguson campaigning.  (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: On crime, Bob Ferguson campaign made its first massive blunder

The Bob Ferguson campaign wants you thinking his top priority is crime. His entire political history says otherwise.

3 days ago

Image: Jason Rantz of AM 770 KTTH is defending his honor against a partisan smear by The Stranger w...

Jason Rantz

Jason Rantz defends his honor against partisan smear by The Stranger

Charles Mudede smeared Jason Rantz in a blog post for the Stranger. It prompted a response from Rantz, who had to defend his own honor.

5 days ago

Rantz: Trans book controversy reveals school board president owns all-ages sex shop