9781422283813

1 WHAT’S SO SCARY ABOUT DIFFERENCE?

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

Hate crime: An illegal act in which the victim is targeted because of his or her race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability, ethnicity, or other identity characteristic. Homophobia: The fear and hatred of homosexuality. A homophobic person is sometimes referred to as a “homophobe.” Civil rights: The rights of a citizen to personal and political freedom under the law. Discrimination: Unfair treatment of a group based on prejudice against them.

On the night of October 6, 1998, a University of Wyoming freshman, Matthew Shepard, was approached by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson at the Fireside Lounge in Laramie, Wyoming. The three