It was the night of October 6th, 1998, and Matthew Shepard was simply enjoying himself at the local Fireside Bar. Little did he know that the two men who claimed they were gay were actually executing a plan to kidnap him and bring him to a desolate fence at which they would brutally beat and leave him alone to die in freezing weather. The Laramie Project, by Moises Kaufman, contains a series of interviews of various people from Laramie, Wyoming, discussing the tragic death of Matthew Shepard. The Laramie Project highlights how prejudices and misconceptions, specifically against homosexuality, can lead to tragedy. These tragedies, no matter how extreme, affect everyone surrounding them. The play is centered around the social issue of misconceptions …show more content…
caused by homophobia and the effects of these misconceptions. This is shown by the motives of the convicted murderers, statements of the interviewees regarding homophobia in the community, and the large amount of people who mourned for Matthew. The motives of the criminals, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, were based on prejudice and represent the misconceptions about homosexuals present in everyday society.
Rebecca Hilliker, a college professor, shares her perspective on the truth:
REBECCA HILLIKER. As much as, uh, part of me didn’t want the defense of them saying that it was a gay bashing or that it was gay panic, part of me is really grateful. Because I was really scared that in the trial they were going to try and say that it was a robbery, or it was about drugs. So when they used “gay panic” as their defense, I felt this is good, if nothing else the truth is going to be told… the truth is coming out (Kaufman 81).
It is clear that the murder of Matthew Shepard was a hate-crime against homosexuality and that fact was bound to be a significant factor in the court case. The motives of Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson prove that homophobia can lead to nefarious actions and tragedies. Not only do more serious consequences for homophobic actions need to be enforced, but acceptance of homosexuality needs to be enforced socially in order to reduce future tragedy in the LGBTQ
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community. Members of the Tectonic Theater Project interviewed several citizens of Laramie, Wyoming. They shared how homophobia is present in Laramie. Jedadiah Schultz, a student at the University of Wyoming, shares the views of the local Reverend. JEDADIAH SCHULTZ. And the Reverend will tell you flat out he doesn’t agree with homosexuality--- and I don’t know--- I think right now I’m going through changes. I’m still learning about myself and--- you know, I don’t feel like I know enough about certain things to make a decision that says, “Homosexuality is right.” When you’ve been raised your whole life that it’s wrong--- and right now, I would say that I don’t agree with it--- yeah, that I don’t agree with it, but--- maybe that’s just because I couldn’t do it--- and speaking in religious terms--- I don’t think that’s how God intended it to happen… (Kaufman 59). If some of the most influential members of a community are openly homophobic, how can one expect other members of the community to act otherwise? Many followers of the Bible believe that God intended for all relationships to be between a male and a female. However, these strict beliefs often interfere with equality and relationships with others. Religious beliefs should not get in the way of equality or be the cause of prejudice. Following his death, people from all over the nation mourned for Matthew Shepard. Harry Woods describes his experience watching the parade dedicated to Matthew and hundreds of people marching: HARRY WOODS.
Well, about ten minutes went by, and sure enough the parade started coming down the street. And then I noticed the most incredible thing… as the parade came down the street… the number of people walking for Matthew had grown five times. There were at least 500 people marching for Matthew. Five hundred people. Can you imagine? The tag at the end was larger than the entire parade. And people kept joining in. And you know what? I started to cry. Tears were streaming down my face. And I thought, “Thank God that I got to see this in my lifetime.” And my second thought was, “Thank you, Matthew” (Kaufman 63).
This parade was held in a small town of Wyoming. The large amount of people at the parade does not even take into account the countless strangers from all over the nation mourning for Matthew. When a tragedy of such magnitude occurs, it not only affects those directly involved and those close to it, but it also affects anybody aware of it. It is shocking that a single event can dictate how a person is forced to carry on with his or her
life. The Laramie Project is a prime example of homophobia and its immense effects explain how it has immense effects. The reader can understand the significance of this social issue to the play because of the motives of the criminals, the viewpoints of the interviewees, and the amount of people who were affected by the incident and mourned for Matthew. Many people may claim that homophobia is wrong and prejudicial, but, more often than not, people do not practice what they preach. In order to actually make a difference, everybody must turn their thoughts into words and words into actions to protect LGBTQ rights.
Laramie project is very sensitive and crucial issue which was wisely broad up in the form of a docudrama in front of the community. The story of Matthew Shepard's highlighted many issues like hate crime, gay/lesbian relationship and personal identity which are still considered as tactful for many peoples. This play also described the role of media, police and an individual in the entire process and shows the influence of this incidence on a person's life.
...the narrator and all people a way of finding meaning in their pains and joys. The two brothers again can live in brotherhood and harmony.
General Douglas MacArthur uses pathos in his speech. To give gratitude to the soldiers have been fighting beside him and to those who has devoted their life on the battlefield, he told the audience how some of his brothers died uncomplaining with honor and glory in their hearts. Such words have the ability to arise American's appreciation along with sympathy. How some people will devote their life for the love of their country is, indeed, something that is truly affecting.
Shepard was a homosexual man, and his murder was labeled as a hate crime, a murder which, in the late 90's, dominated the airwaves: “Matthew Shepard” was the name at the tip of everyone's tongue, but what made his murder special? JoAnn Wypilewski points out in her essay “A Boy's Life” that, “Gay men are killed horribly everywhere in this country, more than thirty just since Shepard – one of them in Richmond, Virginia, beheaded” (609). When so many men are killed in a similar context why do we specifically care about Matthew Shepard – or why don't we? Searching simply the name “Matthew Shepard” in the Google database yields thousands of results in the form of articles, news periodicals, and videos. The media exposure of the Matthew Shepard case is overwhelming. The overload of information can leave us clueless. As college students of the twenty-teens who are fifteen years removed from the incident how do we care about Matthew Shepard?
When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark first explored Montana in the early 1800s, they were awestruck by the open plains and delighted by the wide range of animals that roamed the land. After reaching the Great Falls, which is on the Missouri River in what is now Montana (Av2 books).
With wonderful learning opportunities, a team of sharp and intelligent classmates and teachers, and specialized equipment, the Governor’s School at Innovation Park is the ultimate dream of all determined math/science devotees. With my natural curiosity for mathematics and science and eagerness to take on challenging ideas, I can collaborate with the team at Governor’s School to develop our wide spectrum of ideas and abilities into a highly sophisticated product.
The media considers the1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City the spark of the modern gay rights movement. This occurred after the police raided the Stonewall bar, a popular gay bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. Allyn argues that the new energy and militancy generated by the riot played a crucial role in creating the gay liberation movement. Arguably, the Stonewall Riots have come to resemble the pivotal moment in gay rights history largely because it provided ways for the gay community to resist the social norms. In fact, the riots increased public awareness of gay rights activism (Allyn 157). Gay life after the Stonewall riots, however, was just as varied and complex as it was before. In the following era, ho...
Because the crime rates have dropped, crimes against homosexuals have rose in the past years. Laws in several states do not cover crimes related to homosexuals. There are four states in America that have no safe haven for homosexuals, states must establish crueler punishment for men and women that commit heinous hate crimes based on sexual orientation In a statement released by Judy Shepard, Matthews mother, she says:
Four years of my life have passed away in a blink! I remember entering freshmen year of
Discrimination has always been prominent in mainstream society. Judgments are quickly formed based on one’s race, class, or gender. The idea that an individual’s self-worth is measured by their ethnicity or sexual preference has impacted the lives of many Americans. During the early colonial period, a social hierarchy was established with white landowners at the top and African-American slaves at the bottom. As equality movements have transpired, victims of discrimination have varied. In the late 1980’s when Paris is Burning was filmed, gay rights were still controversial in society. The lack of acceptance in conventional society created hardships in the lives of transgender women and gay men.
The main question of Losing Matt Shepard is – was Matt privileged and thus garnered immense amount of media attention while others who were discriminated against and met with a similar fate did not. After Matt’s death, there was considerable discussion about why was Matt killed in such a manner. Gender role anxiety could have played a part in the murderers’ uncertainty of homosexuals believing in the Laramie “cowboy mentality” and upholding to one’s pride, “macho-ness,” further led them to commit such an act. The residents of Laramie stated that Matt Shepard was “someone we could identify with. Matt was the boy next door. He looked like everybody’s brother and everybody’s neighbor. He looked like he could have been anyone’s son” (Loffreda 252.) Many people could have been confused because the media and society had depicted an image and shown them what homosexuals should look like and Matt looked too “normal” to be gay. In both Loffreda and Faludi, they face strong traditions and the opinions of others that will not change that easily. After Matt Shepard’s death, Matt’s fellow classmates would openly make remarks such as Matt “got what he deserved” or “I hate gays and I’m not changing my opinion” (Loffreda 248). Correspondingly it was difficult for the students of the University of Wyoming to change their opinions about homosexuals after adhering to and following
People marched with whatever they had. They could hold it no more, all these years of hard work, all these years of suffering, only to serve the...
As people go on with their lives and blossom into adults, some begin to wonder about their preferences in lovers and explore other sexual orientation. Unfortunately, those who become comfortable with their different orientation are often faced with violence & discrimination. The Laramie Project & its sequel The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, by Moises Kaufman, elaborate on the untimely murder of Matthew Shepard by the hands of two homophobes. Through the dialogue of the characters in both plays, it is evident that Matthew Shepard’s death gave LGBT hate crimes the media attention it needed, but it also generated inaccurate news coverage that did more harm than benefit. It is clear that media analysis isn’t enough to cause reform for the LGBT
Homosexuality is a sensitive topic and often avoided in conversation. For centuries the human race has oppressed and persecuted others strictly because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual etc. Although disturbing to most of us, these actions still occur in our society today, as many believe that homosexuality is abnormal and disgraceful. One supporter of this belief is Michael Levin, who strongly believes that homosexuality is highly abnormal and thus, undesirable. Although his beliefs and theories supporting this claim are subjective, there is evidence that can support his stance on this topic; we will analyze this claim in further detail and how it relates to his other views mentioned in this essay.
When one hears the words “LGBT” and “Homosexuality” it often conjures up a mental picture of people fighting for their rights, which were unjustly taken away or even the social emergence of gay culture in the world in the1980s and the discovery of AIDS. However, many people do not know that the history of LGBT people stretches as far back in humanity’s history, and continues in this day and age. Nevertheless, the LGBT community today faces much discrimination and adversity. Many think the problem lies within society itself, and often enough that may be the case. Society holds preconceptions and prejudice of the LGBT community, though not always due to actual hatred of the LGBT community, but rather through lack of knowledge and poor media portrayal.