GLBTQ Activist Judy Shepard to Speak
MADISON, NJ—When Judy Shepard’s telephone rang in the middle of an October night in 1998, she received more than just devastating news about a brutal, hate-motivated attack against her gay son, Matthew. She also received a call to action which she answered by raising her voice against hate crimes and becoming one of today’s most powerful gay rights advocates. On March 4, Drew University will welcome her to the stage in the Dorothy Young Center for the Arts Concert Hall where she will speak about her ongoing fight for equality and safety for members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and queer (GLBTQ) community.
“Since 1998, Judy has spearheaded a massive campaign with the goal of ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” said Drew undergraduate Thomas Basgil, co-chair of the school’s gay-straight Alliance, one of the event’s primary sponsors. “I hope her words will cast light on this issue and bolster the solidarity between the straight and queer communities at Drew.”
Shepard’s talk, titled “The Legacy of Matthew Shepard,” will focus on her efforts to make schools and communities safe for GLBTQ individuals. Speaking from a mother’s perspective, she will draw from her personal experiences to add weight to her message. Also speaking at the event will be Steven Goldstein, chair of Garden State Equality, New Jersey’s largest GLBTQ advocacy organization.
After Matthew’s death in 1998, Shepard and her husband Dennis created the Matthew Shepard Foundation, an organization that strives to “replace hate with understanding, compassion and acceptance.” The foundation sponsors several educational, outreach and advocacy programs that support its mission and continues to tell Matthew’s story by funding productions of “The Laramie Project” at theaters around the world.
The Drew University Alliance, the primary sponsor and organizer of Judy Shepard’s appearance at Drew, is a student-run organization that works toward unifying the GLBTQ community with outer communities through education and awareness. The Alliance also provides a safe forum for students to express their views on issues concerning sexual orientation and gender identity.
Judy Shepard’s lecture will begin at 7:00 p.m. on March 4 in Drew’s Dorothy Young Center for the Arts Concert Hall. The public is welcome to attend. For more information, please call Thomas Basgil at 856-332-6193 or e-mail tbasgil@drew.edu.
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Posted: January 9, 2009
