Ten years ago today, Matthew Shepard was pronounced dead at Poudre Valley Hospital in Wyoming after being severely beaten in a homophobic attack. His parents have since become outspoken advocates for erasing hate.
I had the honor of hosting Judy Shepard when she spoke at Merrill Lynch in 2000, back when I was head of the company’s LGBT employee network. Her talk was incredibly moving. I was not yet a parent myself, however, and I did not fully realize how difficult it must have been for her to channel her grief into such action. I think now about losing my son, and I do not know if I could be so compassionate and constructive.
In a letter on the Matthew Shepard Foundation site today, Mrs. Shepard writes about “Ten Years of Change: No Progress.” She says:
The continuing belief that what happened to Matt was not a hate crime and the notion that ‘special people shouldn’t have special rights’, is beyond my comprehension. The level of ‘hate’ is frightening. . . .
It is ignorance that ultimately results in hate and that may escalate into physical violence. The only way to combat the ignorance is to educate and tell our stories.
We are all aware of how important this election cycle is to all of us. Please take the time to know the issues and what is at stake for the LGBT community. Share your stories with those who care about you. It is the only way they will know how to vote to support you. . . .
Apathy is unacceptable. We are at a cross roads in the movement and we need to show our support for those who support the LGBT community. We are all hoping the next ten years will be our time.
The LGBT community and our families celebrated a huge victory two days ago with the legalization of marriage for same-sex couples in Connecticut. Let us not forget, however, that many jurisdictions, including the federal government, still do not have LGBT-inclusive hate crimes laws. Marriage is a right we should fight for, but it is not the only one. Matthew Shepard will never walk down the aisle.