Matthew Shepard, 1976-1998

Just wanted to take a moment to remember Matthew Shepard. It was eight years ago today that he died, five days after being beaten and left to die in the cold Wyoming night.

The morning of 12 October 1998, I was sitting at my desk, preparing for class, when I heard the news. Having been in my position here only three years, I had never pro-actively come out in class. That is, people figured it out, I didn't "hide," my office decor certainly "outed" me, etc. But I had never - even though I taught gender and sexuality - explicitly put it on the table in the classroom.

That morning I went to my class of 18 first year students - I'd known them just over a month - and came out. I explained that studies show that the single most important thing in changing people's attitudes is for them to realize that they know someone who is GLB. Then I went to my next class and then my next. Over the next couple of days I received notes and e-mails thanking me for my comments. I was so glad that I had summoned the courage to take that step. I like to think I made a difference.

Each year we have National Coming Out Day and then we have the day that Matthew died. Although he died in a way that nobody should experience and he died too young, I think it's fair to say that, at 21, he made - and continues to make - a difference, too.