How the story of Matthew Shepard Inspired Me to Pursue LGBTQ+ Hate Crime Advocacy

By Heather Johnson

I was first introduced to Matthew Shepard’s story in my high school theatre class. My teacher showed us the The Lamarie Project. We were learning about monologues and someone from my classes did Dennis Shepard’s victim impact statement. It was respectful and emotional. Matthew Shepard’s story has always stayed with me over the years. Since watching the production, I have educated others about Matthew Shepard’s story.

In 2019, my family experienced their own senseless murder. We went through an emotional trial and had a Victims Advocate assigned to the family. I wanted to help other families the way my family was helped so I enrolled in Penn State University for a Bachelors of Criminal Justice. In 2022, I was listening to a podcast called ‘Morbid’ and the Matthew Shepard episode came on. I sat in my driveway for 40 more minutes to finish the episode just sobbing listening to his story again. It made me think “who is there for LGBTQIA+ victims and their families?”

My family and Matthew’s family both experienced a senseless murder and we both needed help navigating through an extremely tough period of life. When I think of a Victims Advocate I think of someone who is fully invested in helping a victim or victims family. I truly believe having a Victims Advocate accept you for fully who you are is extremely important. I changed the lyrics a little from the song ‘You Might Not Like Her’ by Maddie Zahm, but I want to be a be Victims Advocate and help the LGBTQIA+ community not despite who they are because it’s my job but regardless of who they love or who they are.

The LGBTQIA+ community needs voices who only have love and compassion in their hearts for them. There are hundreds of thousands of victims and families with stories like Matthew Shepard’s. People who I care so deeply about deserve every ounce of help that can be offered to them. Help from a heart with zero judgment and zero hate- a heart who is willingly to sacrifice everything to heal those who need the most healing. I want to be a Victims Advocate who specializes in helping victims from the LGBTQIA+ community. If I can help one victim or victim’s family like Matthew Shepard, my career will be worth it.