October 28, 2009

>GLSEN Statement on Signing of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

>GLSEN applauds President Obama and Congress on this historic day for recognizing the critical need to ensure that investigations of biased-motivated violence based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and disability, among the most frequent forms of hate crimes, receive the same federal support as other forms of biased-motivated violence. According to GLSEN’s 2007 National School Climate Survey, 22.1% of LGBT students were physically assaulted in the past year because of their sexual orientation and 14.2% because of their gender expression. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act sends a strong message that anti-LGBT violence will not be tolerated in our society and our schools.

   

About Daryl Presgraves

       

Daryl Presgraves is the Director of Communications at GLSEN--the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.