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| Matthew Shepard |
Thirteen years. On October 12, 1998, Matthew Shepard, 21, died in a Colorado hospital after being tortured and left for dead because he was gay. Six days earlier, a young political science student at the University of Wyoming entered the car of two young men of his age, Russell A. Henderson and Aaron J. McKinney, who asked him to take a walk. In fact, they decided to bully the one who comes to tell them he was gay. They lead him to a deserted place, attachment to a fence and beaten with rifle butts revolver until break his skull. Believing him dead, the two executioners abandon Matthew Shepard, who lay dying 18 hours hanging from the fence, before he was discovered and they transported him to the hospital. In a state hopelessly.
Matthew's death triggers strong emotions in all the United States: a vigil on October 15 on the steps of the Capitol, the tears of Ellen DeGeneres, the home pages of sites gay barred with black. An emotion that quickly gained worldwide through internet. Overnight, Matthew Shepard became a symbol of the victims of homophobic crimes. A year later, his two murderers are sentenced to life imprisonment.
A law on "hate crimes"
This tragic story has inspired three films: The Matthew Shepard Story, Anatomy of a Hate Crime, and especially the docu-drama The Laramie Project, based on the play of the same name Moises Kaufman. More importantly, two years ago, after years of fighting and parliamentary work, the U.S. Senate passed a major text, dubbed the "Matthew Shepard Act", which amends the law on "hate crimes" to include the acts perpetrated against people because of their gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or disability. A law similar to that of March 18, 2003 in France, which can now be considered as an aggravating circumstance homosexuality (real or imagined) of the victim.
Longer blocked by George W. Bush, the law "Matthew Shepard" was signed by President Barack Obama Wednesday, October 28, 2009, pursuant to a commitment to his campaign. For her part, Judy Shepard, Matthew's mother, whose foundation has been instrumental for the adoption of this law, continues to lecture throughout the United States to educate young and old alike to need to fight against homophobia. And the name of Matthew Shepard is not forgotten.
