Twenty-one years ago this month, a gay University of Wyoming student by the name of Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered. His story brought national attention to anti-LGBT hate crimes and spurred a popular movement for hate crime legislation. Since then, the LGBT community has won major advances and become more visible than ever - but hateful attacks are on the rise. Professor Liz Coston explores why these crimes keep happening, what they look like in 2019, and what can be done to protect and support the LGBT community in the years to come.

For more on this topic:

• Check out Liz's SSN brief, Understanding and Handling Hate Crimes against Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People
• Read the Virginia Commonwealth University's write-up on their research and public outreach