October 3, 2008

THE MATTHEW SHEPARD STORY

MATTHEW’S LIFE AND DEATH

The story of Matthew Shepard began on December 1, 1976 when he was born to Judy and Dennis Shepard in Casper, Wyoming.  He went to school in Casper until his junior year of high school when he and his family moved to Saudi Arabia. Matt finished his high school education at The American School in Switzerland. His experience abroad fueled his love for travel and gave him the chance to meet many friends from around the world. He took the opportunity to explore Europe and learn several languages including German and Italian. Matt’s college career took him to several of different universities and he ended up studying political science, foreign relations and languages at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Matt had a great passion for equality. He actively fought for the acceptance of all people, regardless of what made them different.

Matt was an optimistic and accepting young man. He continuously put his family and friends first. He was approachable and always looked to new challenges. Even as a child, he was elected by his peers to be a peer counselor. The horrific events that took place shortly after midnight on October 7, 1998 went against everything that Matt embodied. Two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, led him to a remote area east of Laramie. He was tied to a split-rail fence where the two men severely assaulted him. He was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later, he was found by a cyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. Matt died on October 12 at 12:53 a.m. at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins,

Colorado, with his family by his side. His funeral was attended by friends and family from around the world and garnered immense media attention that brought Matt’s story to the forefront of the fight against bigotry and hate.

THE AFTERMATH OF THE MURDER

After the brutal murder of their son, Judy and Dennis Shepard founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation in his memory.  Created to honor Matt in a manner that was appropriate to his dreams, beliefs and aspirations, the Foundation seeks to “Replace Hate with Understanding, Compassion & Acceptance” through a variety of advocacy, outreach and educational programs – and the continued, painful telling of Matt’s story to keep the conversation on anti-LGBT hate crimes moving forward.   

At this time, the Foundation has three primary focuses:  Erasing Hate in society, putting LGBT Youth First and ensuring Equality for all LGBT Americans.   

In addition to the beginning of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Matt’s murder sparked media coverage and moved Americans to action across the country.  With GLAAD’s assistance on the ground in Laramie, Matthew Shepard’s murder became one of the most discussed anti-gay hate crimes in history.  Permanent memorials were created in Casper, Wyoming, and West Hollywood, California, to honor the memory of Matthew Shepard’s life.  TIME Magazine ran a cover story on Matt’s murder.  The Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie and conducted over 200 hours of interviews with local residents – creating “The Laramie Project” a play about the hate crime that eventually was made into an HBO feature film.  Eventually, federal hate crimes legislation was even introduced to stem the violence against LGBT Americans and named in memory of Matthew Shepard, but the legislation has not been voted into law.

10 YEARS LATER

The life and death of Matthew Shepard changed the way we talk about, and deal with, hate in America. Since his death, Matt’s legacy has challenged and inspired millions of individuals to erase hate in all its forms. Although Matt’s life was short, his story continues to have a great impact on both young and old alike.  His legacy lives on in the thousands of people who actively fight to replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance. 

While a national conversation began following Matt’s death around hate crimes against the LGBT community, at this time no federal legislation exists to protect those targeted for violence based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.  The Matthew Shepard Act (also known as the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 – H.R. 1592 / S. 1105) would protect people from being attacked, beaten, brutalized and murdered because of who they are by strengthening existing federal hate crimes laws to include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or disability.  The Act currently is stalled in Congress.  Ten years later, many states leave LGBT Americans unprotected, too – including Wyoming, which still has no hate crimes legislation to protect its residents from anti-LGBT attacks, like the one that took Matt’s life.      

By reporting about how hate has affected your community, you can help remember Matthew Shepard ten years after his murder and take a step toward erasing hate.  Hate crimes happen all over the country – and in your own backyard.  Lawrence King’s execution-style killing by a fellow classmate in Oxnard, California (he was shot in the head while the two sat in their Jr. High class), and Angie Zapata’s beating and murder in Greeley, Colorado (her attacker struck her repeatedly with a fire extinguisher upon finding out she was transgender) both occurred within six months of one another in different parts of the country.  The anti-LGBT violence and hate that motivated them, however, was the same. Fair, accurate and inclusive coverage of these incidents is vital to ending this pervasive problem.  Also, watch for the following events happening in the coming month(s):

• Oct. 12: The Lifetime Movie Network will be rebroadcasting the 2002 film The Matthew Shepard Story, for which Stockard Channing won an Emmy for her portrayal of Judy Shepard.  Watch this GLAAD Media Award nominated film in the category of Outstanding Television Movie at 12pm ET/9am PT.
• Oct 12: HBO will be rebroadcasting the GLAAD Media Award winning 2002 film The Laramie Project at 10:15pm on HBO Signature West and at 7:15pm on HBO Signature East.  Click here for more information.
• Oct. 13:  The first of two remembrances of Matthew Shepard’s murder will be held by the Matthew Shepard Foundation at Loring Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Oct. 13. Open to the public, the event will feature music and speakers including Judy Shepard, as well as special guests, such as openly gay actor T.R. Knight and author of The Laramie Project, Moises Kaufman.  Click here for more information.
• Oct. 19: The second observance of the 10 years since Matthew Shepard’s death will occur at Napa Valley College in Napa, California, on Oct. 19th.  Speakers include Judy Shepard as well as performances by several of the original cast members of The Laramie Project. Click here for more information.