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Matthew Shephard's Parents Made an Emotional Appearance at the DNC
Judy & Dennis Shepard have been vocal LGBTQ+ rights activists since the death of their son from an antigay hate crime.
During the second night of the Democratic National Convention, all 57 U.S. states and territories participated in the roll call vote, where each region remotely cast their delegate votes for Joe Biden.
A reminder of how beautifully diverse our country can be, Pete Buttigieg, Craig Hickman, and many more provided some LGBTQ+ representation. But many viewers were surprised by an appearance from the parents of the late Matthew Shepard, who was brutally tortured and murdered in 1998 in an antigay hate crime.
\u201c\u2018We see in Joe what made Matt\u2019s life so special\u2019 \u2014 Watch Matthew Shepard\u2019s parents cast Wyoming\u2019s delegate votes at the #DemConvention\u201d— NowThis (@NowThis) 1597803756
Judy and Dennis Shepard, who have vocally fought for LGBTQ+ rights since the death of their son, cast the delegate votes from their home state of Wyoming.
"Joe understands more than most of our grief over Matt’s death," Dennis Shepard said. "But we see in Joe so much of what made Matt’s life special: his commitment to equality, his passion for social justice, and his boundless compassion for others."
The brief appearance of the Shepards made many emotional, including actor George Takei:
\u201cWas so moved to see Matthew Shepard\u2019s parents nominate Biden.\u201d— George Takei (@George Takei) 1597805800
\u201cThe parents of murdered gay man Matthew Shepard just appeared from Wyoming and I\u2019m an emotional gay man\u201d— David Mack (@David Mack) 1597803556
\u201cTears in my eyes watching Matthew Shepard's parents announce Wyoming's votes\u201d— Jennifer Taub \ud83c\udf3b \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Jennifer Taub \ud83c\udf3b \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1597802235
The evening was hosted by actor Tracee Ellis Ross, with Biden and Kamala Harris concluding the event.
Read more about the DNC over at The Advocate.
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
