Matthew Shepard and Michael Sandy didn't get a birthday
Rashad Robinson | Posted October 10, 2008 8:31 PM
http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/10/the-matthew-shepard-murder-and-001223.phpIt's a story that's still hard to tell. Shortly after midnight on Oct. 7, 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old University of Wyoming student, was tied to a split-rail fence, savagely beaten and left to die in the cold of night. He was found almost 18 hours later by a cyclist, who
initially mistook him for a scarecrow. He died six days later.
I remember first hearing the news reports back when I was still closeted, and thinking about how horrible it was, and also realizing-as so many other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans did-that the same thing could happen to me. Matt's murder sent the message to LGBT Americans that we won't be tolerated, leaving people all over the country feeling vulnerable, unsafe and afraid.