Teen threatened for being gay publishes book

Local News

January 17, 2011

By Neale Gulley The Tonawanda News The Tonawanda News Mon Jan 17, 2011, 11:25 PM EST

— — An openly gay teen whose legal battle with North Tonawanda schools was recently denied review by the state’s highest court following a death threat more than five years ago has published a book.

Michael Mangus, 19, said his photo-book “Chasing the Flame: A Gay Narrative in Photographs,” will be available on Amazon.com next month, as well as a downloadable version for viewing on Kindle devices.

Mangus, who for two years has earned a living portraying his drag-queen alter ego “Anita Waistline” in clubs throughout the nation and in Canada, said the book focuses less on his legal ordeal and more on letting others know there is hope for personal fulfillment despite the threats, jokes and ridicule he endured.

“I am not happy with the court’s decisions but I am happy with myself right now, which is the biggest thing anybody can ask for,” he said. “It’s all photos, pretty much, there is an excerpt in the book about stuff that happened at NT High School. It’s to get kids (to understand) if you’re going to get made fun of your whole life there is still a way around it.”

Mangus was bullied and threatened for being openly gay until his mother Rhonda Mangus removed him from classes in 2005, after she said he received a written death threat from a fellow student. Her decision to home school her son was instead viewed as truancy by the district and reported to county and state child protective services. Mangus has spent at least five years challenging that charge, to no avail.

The case did attract free legal advice from prominent Chicago-based attorney Jay Paul Deratany last year.

In recent months, however, the latest of three court appeals Rhonda Mangus filed since being charged with educational neglect was denied by the state’s highest appellate court.

Mangus, a former substitute teacher, decided to home-school Michael in 2005 while contending the district failed to provide a safe learning environment for him. But she herself was scrutinized in the aftermath, though she has long claimed she was denied access to course work and that Michael’s absences were approved by two medical professionals.

The younger Mangus says he’s “ecstatic” about the new book.

“It’s geared more toward the gay and lesbian community but anyone who is open minded I’m hoping will read it,” he said.

The 112-page, soft-cover glossy book will be available in mid-February and retails for $18.99.

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