James Hermon/ Roundup, Kat Mabry/ Roundup
Tightly tied to a wooden fence, bruised, beaten and covered in his own blood, Matthew Shepard sat alone underneath a starry sky in Laramie, Wyoming where he was left to die.
Shepard was a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming, who befriended the town of Laramie quickly. He was a quiet yet passionate advocate for human rights.
And he was gay.
He was mistaken for a scarecrow by a bicyclist 18 hours later on Oct. 7 1998. Those that remember the tragedy might find it hard to believe that it has been 12 years since that night.
Shepard died five days after the beating at Pourdre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Oct. 12 1998.
In remembrance of Shepard and in lieu of the recent suicides of gay individuals, the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) on campus hosted the first Matthew Shepard Remembrance Day Tuesday, Oct. 12.
On another record hot fall day in Woodland Hills, amid all the noise from the Mall construction, there was a quiet feeling of loss and underlying remembrance that sat heavy like moisture in the air at the free speech zone, located south of the Country Café.
It was there where members of GSA drew chalk silhouettes on the hot pavement that represented the victims of hate crimes due to their sexuality since Shepard’s death.
Hanging along a wall just below a lamppost nearby were nine stories posted for passersby’s to read about those that have committed suicide due to bullying and lack of acceptance over their sexuality in September of this year.
“From this club itself I’ve known his [Matthew Shepard’s] name,” said Katie Kargari, 20, GSA vice president. “But the drastic increase of young teen suicides that’s in the media right now – it’s everywhere, it’s almost every week.”
In this month, 11 victims who identify as gay and lesbian died due to bullying and being unaccepted, according to Kargari.
There were children as young as 11 and 13-years-old who committed suicide, and hanged themselves as a result of hurtful words and harassment.
“It’s very sad, words can’t express how sad it is,” said Sandra Ishii, a 46-year-old child development student. “My best friend and godmother of my child is gay, people really shouldn’t judge others based on their skin or sexual orientation.”
The club members sat in the heat from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. hoping to impact students walking from class to class, or on their way to grab a bite.
They each took turns posing against a wooden board, hands tied and face covered with a ripped t-shirt that read, “This could be your friend.” They sat quietly, recreating the gruesome scene that took place in Laramie.
“I just want people to be aware of the situation,” said Sarah Gerson, 23, club member. “I would like people to take it with them and perhaps speak out against bullying and homophobia.”
Although most tragedies have occurred in states other than California, the issue behind the tragedies still hits close to home.
“You need to be reminded that there’s hope in hopelessness and to find a community with love,” said Kargari, who feels blessed to have the supportive and accepting family and friends that she does.
Matthew Shepard may have died in Laramie 12 years ago, but out of his death came a national day of recognition by gay and heterosexual individuals alike.
The Day of Silence started in Virginia in 1996.
It is acknowledged by hundreds of thousands of students nationwide to take a vow of silence bringing attention to anti LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) name-calling, bullying, and harassment in schools.
The GSA at Pierce College participated in the Day of Silence April 16, 2010. They wore tape over their mouths and committed to sending the message out in the free speech zone, according to Kargari.
MSRD got reactions out of the few students that did stop to read the silhouettes with each story included inside.
“It’s shocking, just shocking,” one student who chose to remain anonymous said while shaking her head and walking away.
Not every passerby felt that the GSA was right in representing the day in the fashion that they did.
“I think it’s too much,” said Demetrius Miller, 17, a nursing student at Pierce. “If someone I knew died that way, I wouldn’t want it displayed that way, it’s too personal.”
The event took three stages, moving into the mall in front of the Student Store for a demonstration where the event coordinator took a paper made blow horn and announced their purpose for the day.
Nine members of the GSA dropped to the ground following his speech to signify the nine silhouettes that were drawn on the pavement in free speech zone.
“Although it was 12 years ago, it’s still relevant,” said Hannah Krubsack, an 18-year-old journalism student. “It’s important to recognize the issue.”
The death of Matthew Shepard has brought to life a movement that reaches from Laramie out to states nationwide.
“With his death, his parents and friends really got motivated to add homosexuality to the list of what classifies as a hate crime,” said Gerson.
The Matthew Shepard Act was passed on Oct. 22 2009, signed into Congress by president Barak Obama six days later to expand the United States federal hate crime law to include sexual orientation.
Julia Vaidero, an 18-year-old fashion design student said, “It’s important to shed light on the issue of bulling; they are people and deserve to have their rights.”
The day concluded with a viewing of the “Laramie Project” in the Great Hall.
The purpose of the day was to bring attention to GSA, a group that is right here on campus, “cares about equal rights, not only as members of GSA, but as students at Pierce,” said Julian Brown, 20, the GSA event coordinator.
For students on campus who need support and an outlet, Kargari hopes that they will find support in the club.
“We’re here, you have a support group and people that will stand up for you and are on your back,” said Kargari with intensity. “I’m not even an outward person, like someone doesn’t accept me, I say your loss, ya know it’s a take it or leave me kind of thing.”
The GSA considers harassment to be a very serious thing. The members are looking forward to collaborating with the LGBTA club at California State University, Northridge in the near future.
When contacted via email, Martel Okonji, president of CSUN’s LGBTA provided a link to the club’s website that lists their upcoming events.
“If it’s to the point of harassment that definitely needs to be brought to the attention of somebody because you can’t have those emotions built up inside of you,” Kargari said. “I feel like this group is just a way to release and [make those] feel comfortable.
For more information or to contact the GSA or LGBTA, please follow any of the links provided.
HYPERLINK “http://www.csunlgbta.com” www.csunlgbta.com
HYPERLINK “http://www.matthewshepard.org” http://www.matthewshepard.org
HYPERLINK “http://www.dayofsilence.org” http://www.dayofsilence.org
HYPERLINK “http://www.myspace.com/gsapierce” http://www.myspace.com/gsapierce
Megan Littrel, a GSA member, symbolizes the fear and pain of Matthew Shepard by reenacting the crime scene where he was found beaten unconscious, tied to a post, and left for dead 12 years ago because of his sexual orientation. (UD)
Images and information about gay teens who have committed suicide in the last two months are taped to the wall for students to view. (UD)