This International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, we are reminded of what Judy Shepard tells audiences around the world every time she speaks, “Your voice is the most powerful tool in Erasing Hate.” We are remember that each of our voices can be used to demand the inherent dignity and respect we all deserve but…
Washington, D.C. – Ford’s Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault announced the Theatre’s 2013-2014 season will open with a new production of The Laramie Project, 15 years after the killing of Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard. The play is presented as the cornerstone production for the Ford’s Theatre Society’s Lincoln Legacy Project, a multi-year effort dedicated to sparking…
15 years ago, Judy Shepard became more than just the mother of Matthew Shepard, she became the quintessential mother figure for the LGBT equality movement. Her tireless advocacy and nurturing soul have been an inspiration to millions. Since the death of her son catapulted her into the national spotlight, Judy has spoken to countless schools,…
Judy Shepard sat down for an in-depth interview with High School: A Survivor’s Manual. The hour long documentary covers eating disorders, bullying, depression, prescription drugs and erasing hate with Judy Shepard. The documentary addresses these issues that high school kids face, along with the best ways to deal with them.
by Sam Gardner for Fox Sports In his historic coming-out essay Monday, NBA veteran Jason Collins revealed to Sports Illustrated that he wore the number 98 in 38 games this season while playing for the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards as an unspoken “sign of solidarity” with the gay community. He said he did so as a nod to the Trevor…
This week, the FBI released statistics for hate crimes reported in 2012. While there was a small decrease in the number of offenses, there were still 1,318 crimes motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation reported to the FBI by local law enforcement agencies. These numbers represent a 14% decrease in crimes motivated by the victim’s…
It was a long week for supporters of LGBT rights in Cheyenne, Wyoming at the State Capitol. Three bills were before the Legislature to advance equality in the Equality State. Representative Cathy Conolly (D-Laramie) introduced a domestic partnership bill as well as a marriage equality bill. An anti-discrimination bill that included protections for LGBT citizens…
Last night we received an email from our friends at Mainers United for Marriage. Not 45 minutes after the news networks called the Presidential election for President Obama, we got the wonderful news: loving and committed same sex couples in the great state of Maine would have equal access to marriage. “Tonight,” Matt McTighe, Campaign Manager for Yes…
On Saturday, October 13, the Board of Directors and the staff of the Matthew Shepard Foundation were joined by 500 of our friends and supporters to celebrate the work that we continue to do in Matthew’s memory and to look forward to the year ahead. We wanted to share with you a few highlights from…
By Jason Marsden, Executive Director This Friday will mark 14 years since the day we lost Matt Shepard. I know from the conversations I’ve had with many of you that those terrible days in October 1998 echo in your memories: where you were, how it felt, the fears, the outrage and the questions you were…