LGBT Organizations Urge Advocates and Allies to Remember Slain Teen Lawrence King
February 9, 2010
February 12th, 2010 marks the second anniversary of the Lawrence King murder. King, an eighth-grader from Ventura, CA, was shot in the head and killed by a classmate in 2008 because of his perceived sexual orientation and gender expression.
GLAAD, GSA Network, GLSEN, Ventura County Rainbow Alliance, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Lesbian Rights and Equality California are urging LGBT advocates and allies to honor King’s memory and call for an end to violence and harassment in the classroom directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Here is an update on what some organizations are doing:
GSA is hosting a vigil at Los Angeles City Hall at 7 o’clock P.M. Their site provides individuals with an action guide offering tips on how you can honor King’s life and how to mobilize and inform those in your community. Here is an excerpt:
Inform:
- Ask your administration to let your Gay-Straight Alliance club make an announcement on the PA system asking for a 30 second vow of silence to remember Lawrence King. Include who he was and why remembering him is important for you and your school.
- Make an altar for Lawrence King to visually represent the violence LGBTQ students face. Ask to display it at school. Include the time and place where your GSA meets so students can get more involved with your club.
- Write a letter to your campus newspaper demanding that violence against LGBTQ people stop. Write about Lawrence King and why it’s important for your school to stand up to hate. Give the time and place where your GSA meets.
- Organize an anti-violence assembly at your school. Invite speakers who can either talk about Lawrence King’s live and death or about the violence in schools against LGBTQ youth.
- Work with other students or groups on campus to organize a “No Violence Week.” Have discussions, show movies, or make posters about the violence and bullying in our schools.
Read the complete guide here.
On GLSEN’s “Remembering Lawrence” web page, they asking those to register events and join Facebook and MySpace groups to show their support. Here is a list of registered events so far
California
Spectrum Lawrence King Vigil
Camarillo, California
Friday, February 12, 2010
6:00 PM
Location: California State University Chanel Islands
Co-Sponsored By: Spectrum Center for Multicultural Engagement Center for Civic Engagement Housing and Education
Questions: http://vcra.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=4520621&highlight=vigil kari.moss@csuci.edu
Remembering Larry
Culver City, California
Friday, February 12, 2010
All Day
Location: 4401 Elenda St
Co-Sponsored By: Culver City High School Gay Straight Alliance
Remembering Lawrence King
Los Angeles, California
Friday, February 12, 2010
7:00pm
Location: Los Angeles City Hall – South Steps
On First St. between Main and Spring
Co-Sponsored By: GSA Network
Questions: www.gsanetwork.org/lawrenceking daniel@gsanetwork.org 213.482.4021
Remember Lawrence King
Los Banos, California
Friday, February 12, 2010
3:30
Location: Los Banos High School
Co-Sponsored By: Gay/Straight Alliance
Questions: nnelson@losbanosusd.k12.ca.us
Illinois
Remember Lawrence
Mattoon, Illinois
Friday, February 12, 2010
All Day
Location: Lake Land College
Co-Sponsored By: BGLADD (Bisexuals, Gays, Lesbians, and Allies to Develop Diversity) of Lake Land College, Mattoon, IL.
Questions: http://www.myspace.com/b_gladd
Minnesota
End the Violence
Blaine, Minnesota
Friday, February 12, 2010
11:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m
Location: Blaine High School
Co-Sponsored By: Blaine High School Gay Straight Alliance
Texas
Time for A Change presents: remembering Larry
Southlake, Texas
Friday, February 12, 2010
6:00 pm
Location: Bicentennial park
Co-Sponsored By: Time for A Change
Questions: T4c.me Info.timeforachange@gmail.coM 214.578.0119
Virginia
“I Love Larry”
Arlington, Virginia
Friday, February 12, 2010
All Day
Location: Wakefield High School
Co-Sponsored By: The Wakefield High School Gay & Lesbian Alliance
Questions: jclisham@arlington.k12.va.us 703-228-6711
Candle Light Vigil
Univ Richmond, Virginia
Friday, February 12, 2010
6:30pm
Location: Forum on Campus
Co-Sponsored By: Student Alliance for Sexual Diversity
Questions: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=292384489684&ref=mf sasdur@gmail.com
Register your event online here.
The Ventura County Rainbow Alliance is hosting an event at California State University Channel Islands campus sponsored by Spectrum (the gay/straight student alliance), the Center for Multicultural Engagement, the Multicultural and Women’s & Gender Student Center, School of Education, Student Housing and the Center for Community Engagement.
Learn more about their event here.
Related Posts:Vigils Planned Across the Nation to Remember 15 Year-Old Lawrence King
February 2, 2010
Two years after an unthinkable act of hate in California, vigils are being organized across the country to remember Lawrence “Larry” King, a 15 year-old boy who was shot and killed by a classmate because of his perceived sexual orientation and gender expression.
On February 12, organizations and individuals nationwide will honor Larry’s memory and call for an end to violence and harassment in the classroom directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
A 2007 study conducted by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) found that more than 9 out of 10 LGBT middle school students surveyed (91%) said they experienced harassment at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation, 59% experienced physical harassment and a startling 39% said they had been physically assaulted, nearly twice as many as in high school (20%). That same study found that more than 8 out of 10 LGBT middle school students (82%) reported hearing homophobic epithets frequently or often from other students in school — a higher percentage than high school students (73%). Perhaps most shocking, 63% of LGBT middle school students had heard school staff make homophobic remarks.
To locate and register for a vigil near you, please visit www.rememberinglawrence.org
Related Posts:One Year Later: Vigils in Lawrence King’s Memory Held Next Week
February 6, 2009
Feb. 12, 2008 a junior high school student shot his 15-year-old classmate, Lawrence King, in the head because Lawrence had a crush on him. This year, local LGBT communities across the country are remember
ing Lawrence’s life the week of Feb. 9.
Advocates in Ventura, California, where Lawrence lived and was murdered, are holding a vigil Feb. 12. Local community members, including faith leaders and the city’s Youth Empowerment Program, are sponsoring the event. The community was among dozens that held vigils last year.
Community members in Oklahoma are also holding a vigil next thursday in Okemah City Park. A local LGBT theatre in Minnesota is dedicating a Feb. 11 show, “Be Our Valentine,” to Lawrence’s memory.
For the most complete, up-to-date listing of events in Lawrence King’s memory, or to register your community’s local event, please check www.rememberinglawrence.org, a project of GLSEN.
GLAAD urges the media to report fairly on the intersection of anti-LGBT bullying and violence when covering the life and tragic death of Lawrence King.
Transgender Week of Remembrance: Reflecting Upon Those Lost
November 18, 2008
While last month marked the 10th year of remembrance of Matthew Shepard’s death, November brings another solemn observance in the LGBT community. This Thursday, people across the world will be recognizing the 10th Transgender Day of Remembrance. Here at glaadBLOG, we are reflecting upon the lives tragically lost because of anti-transgender hate crimes this past year.
Statistics from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Program’s report on anti-LGBT violence in 2007 showed that there was still a great amount of work to be done. The largest increase of anti-LGBT violence in any demographic category was against transgender men. 16% of total anti-LGBT reports of violence were anti-transgender motivated.
But in 2008, high profile murders of transgender people and people targeted for their gender expression reached double digits. There have been 16 transgender people murdered during 2008 in the US. But it is vital to remember that a large number of transgender murders go underreported or misreported and an accurate statistic is impossible to calculate. According to an estimate by the Human Rights Campaign transgender Americans have a one-in-12 chance of being murdered
The transgender people who have lost their lives in the past year range in age, ethnicity and geographic location, but were all victims of senseless, hate-motivated crimes. Here at GLAAD, we have worked closely with many family and friends of victims to help heighten awareness of hate crimes against transgender people across the nation. We ask that you not only reflect upon those we have lost as we approach the Transgender Day of Remembrance, but throughout the entire year, as we strive as a community to put an end to anti-transgender violence.
- Brian McGlothin. Date of Death: December 23, 2007. Brian wore gender non-conforming clothing and lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. Brian was shot in the head by Antonio Williams, who is currently serving a six-year sentence. Very little information was released about Brian or the crime. Brian was 25 years old.
- Patricia Murphy. Date of Death: January 8, 2008. Patricia was a drag performer and an icon in Albuquerque’s LGBT community. She had won the title of Miss New Mexico Gay Rodeo Association in 2008. Patricia was working towards a nursing degree and was the caretaker to an elderly man. She was shot in the head multiple times by Dana Madsen, who was arrested for the murder. Sharon Hardin, who had known Patricia for 12 years, said: “She had a heart of gold.” Patricia was 39 years old.
- Stacy Brown. Date of Death: January 8, 2008. Stacy was a transgender woman living in Baltimore with her mother and sister. She was found shot to death and police have yet to gain any leads on her murder. Very little information was released on Stacy or the crime. She was 30 years old.
- Adolphus Simmons. Date of Death: January 21, 2008. Adolphus wore gender non-conforming clothing and was embraced as a dear friend by his neighbors in the North Carolina apartment building where he lived. Family and friends described Adolphus as “jovial” and “a jokester“. Adolphus had recently begun a career as a hairdresser. He was shot dead while taking the trash out by a 15-year-old male. Adolphus was only 18 years old.
- Ashley Sweeney. Date of Death: February 4, 2008. Ashley was a young transgender woman living in Detroit, Michigan. She died from a fatal shot to the head. Very little information is known about Ashley and the crime. The National Center for Transgender Equality accused the Detroit Police Department of mishandling the case, as the department did not release the pertinent information involved in the case. Her age is unknown.
- Sanesha Stewart. Date of Death: February 10, 2008. Sanesha was a transgender woman from the Bronx, New York. She was stabbed to death by Steve McMillan, who was arrested by police. There was a notable amount of defamatory and sensationalized coverage surrounding Sanesha’s death. She was 25 years old.
- Lawrence King. Date of Death: February 12, 2008. Lawrence was a 15-year-old student who wore gender non-conforming clothes. Lawrence was shot and killed by a classmate. The murder was the most high-profile hate crime case of 2008. For more on Lawrence, you can check back to this previous blog post.
- Simmie Williams. Date of Death: February 22, 2008. Simmie was a gender non-conforming 17-year old from Fort Lauderdale, Florida who was planning on getting a GED and going to culinary school. Simmie was shot and killed by two men.
- Lloyd Nixon. Date of Death: April 16, 2008. Very little is known about Lloyd, who was a 45-year old transgender person. Lloyd was beaten to death with a brick in West Palm Beach, Florida.
- Ebony Whitaker. Date of Death: July 1, 2008. Ebony was a transgender woman living in Memphis, Tennessee. She was found shot to death and the police have yet to arrest any suspects. Ebony was only 20 years old. Much of the coverage, of what little there was, was defamatory.
- Angie Zapata. Date of Death: July 17, 2008. Angie was a young transgender woman living in Greeley, Colorado. She was found murdered in her apartment with severe fractures in her skull, beaten to death. Police arrested Allen Andrade for the hate crime. Angie was only 18 years old. Coverage of the hate crime reached a national level, with articles in The New York Times and on the ABC News website.
- Jaylynn L. Namauu. Date of Death: July 17, 2008. Jaylynn was a 35-year old transgender woman living in Makiki Honolulu, Hawaii. She was stabbed to death by Joel Allen, who has been arrested by police. Local coverage of the case was alarmingly defamatory, calling the murder “not a hate crime.” GLAAD reached out to local reporters who promised to improve future coverage. Very little is known about Jaylynn.
- Ruby Molina. Date of Death: September 21, 2008. Ruby was a transgender woman living in Sacramento. Her body was pulled from the American River. Police originally called “no foul play” on the case, but later described situation as merely “suspicious.” No suspects have been found. Ruby was 22-years old.
- Aimee Wilcoxson. Date of Death: November 3, 2008. Aimee was a transgender woman living in Aurora, Colorado. She was found dead in her home. Police have yet to release details, but have stated that the signs lead to suicide, something that friends and family are not satisfied with. Aimee was described as “a woman who loved to laugh, loved Madonna and who advocated for other transgender woman who, like her, had been diagnosed with HIV.” She was 34 years old.
- Duanna Johnson. Date of Death: November 9, 2008. As we blogged about earlier this week, Duanna was fatally shot in Memphis Tennessee earlier this month. Duanna was a transgender woman who has suffered physical and verbal harassment by the Memphis Police following a faulty arrest. Duanna was planning on moving back to her hometown of Chicago. Police have yet to arrest any suspects. Duanna was 42 years old.
- Lateisha Green. Date of Death: November 14, 2008. Lateisha was a young transgender woman who was fatally shot last Friday in Syracuse, New York. Dwight DeLee was arrested for the hate crime and is being held without bail. Lateisha was only 22-years old.
For more information on the Transgender Day of Remembrance please visit www.transgenderdor.org and www.gender.org/remember.
GLAAD’s Matthew Shepard Op-Ed Project
October 10, 2008
Matthew Shepard’s murder was a dark moment in our nation’s history. Matthew Shepard’s legacy, however, has been one that has acted as a guiding light. His tragic story has provided others with the courage to speak out, come out, and share their own personal stories.
In honor of Matthew’s memory and the legacy he has left behind, we at GLAAD launched a project to get those stories told – to look at where we were ten years ago, where we are today and where we still need to go.
The Matthew Shepard Op-Ed project led GLAAD to reach out to local partners in communities around the country and identify opportunities to get personal stories, the stories of other victims of hate, and updates on progress in fighting hate crimes printed in local and regional media outlets. We’ve successfully helped people in writing, editing and pitching editorials and op-ed pieces to newspapers in almost every state in the nation.
Working with our community partners op-eds and editorials have already been published in South Carolina, California, Colorado, Alabama, Virginia, and Oklahoma just to name a few. Many more pieces will be published today and through the weekend.
Remembering Matt is a charge we take seriously. Given the lack of media coverage of other hate crimes, GLAAD felt more needed to be said about Matt’s story and the legacy his family and the LGBT community proudly carry on.
As you will read, hate crimes are still a tragic reality and the stories of people like Sean Kennedy, Lawrence King, Angie Zapata and many other victims of anti-LGBT hate crimes need to be told.
This is an opportunity for you to get involved. We encourage everyone around the country to engage their local media outlets and submit letters-to-the editor responding to stories about the 10-year remembrance of Matthew Shepherd or to create a conversation in media outlets where none have happened.
We all have the power to honor Matthew Shepherd’s legacy by making sure his story, and the countless stories of other victims of anti-LGBT violence, are never forgotten.
Ten Years After Matthew Shepard, Coverage of Hate Crimes is Lacking
October 9, 2008
It’s been ten years since news of the violent murder of Matthew Shepard first made headlines. For many weeks following those initial reports, coverage of the Laramie, Wyoming tragedy flooded major television stations and news outlets from coast to coast.
It was undoubtedly the most visible anti-LGBT hate crime in this country’s history.
To this day, Matthew’s story continues to be told and his death memorialized – the most widely recognized tribute being Moisés Kaufman’s internationally acclaimed play, “The Laramie Project,” which was later adapted into a GLAAD Media Award winning film for HBO. To mark the 10th year of remembrance, Kaufman has updated the play with an epilogue. The new version will be published and used in future performances.
One would think that in light of the widespread coverage of Matthew Shepard’s story and the conversations it caused on a national level and in our local communities, subsequent coverage of hate crimes against LGBT people would have increased.
Sadly, this is not the case.
Many times when LGBT people are attacked for being who they are, the media coverage – if there’s any at all – is limited. So far this week, GLAAD has highlighted just a few cases (Anthony Hergesheimer, Nakhia Williams and Sean Kennedy) that demonstrate how hard getting coverage of anti-LGBT hate crimes can be and the impact the media can have when they actually do provide coverage.
In the few cases where an anti-LGBT hate crime has risen to the national level of awareness, we often see problematic language and assumptions in the media’s coverage.
Take for example the coverage of Lawrence King’s murder. Earlier this year, the brutal and senseless premeditated murder of 15-year-old King became the most widely covered hate crime of the year.
On a Friday in February, Lawrence, an openly gay student from Oxnard, California, was shot and murdered by a fellow classmate. The attacker brought a gun into school and killed Lawrence because of King’s orientation.
When the news of the murder first broke, GLAAD urged the media to report on the intersection of anti-gay bullying and violence. When the Associated Press published a story which unfairly assigned blame to King for “flirting,” we called upon the Associated Press to reexamine the way it had covered the story.
Then, one of the most visible stories about the murder, a Newsweek feature article titled “Young, Gay and Murdered,” was published. The article received harsh criticism from many who viewed it as, similar to the AP story, blaming the victim. From the Newsweek article (emphasis added):
Larry King was, admittedly, a problematical test case: he was a troubled child who flaunted his sexuality and wielded it like a weapon—it was often his first line of defense. But his story sheds light on the difficulty of defining the limits of tolerance.
After collecting concerns from the community, GLAAD met with Newsweek to discuss them and provide feedback. The meeting was productive and Newsweek later published a follow up article that included many of the responses people had left for the newsmagazine after the article’s publication:
The article drew a massive response online–more than 4,000 comments were posted through the week. Many responded to reporter Ramin Setoodeh’s assertion that Larry “was a troubled child who flaunted his sexuality and wielded it like a weapon.”
Yes, he was a flamboyant kid who wore high heels and makeup. But many commenters felt this characterization suggested that Larry deserved to die.
Los Angeles based writer and attorney Peter DelVecchio also delved into the Newsweek criticisms in a blog post at The Bilerico Project.
The Newsweek LGBT sources interviewed were uniformly dismayed by the piece, believing it represented King as being responsible for his own murder. Ryan referred to a “tone of blaming the victim,” (a charge she leveled against media handling of violence against LGBT youth generally).
The Newsweek article “was framed in a way . . . that justifies violent action by people that is in line with the gay panic defense argument,” said Cathy Renna, managing partner of Renna Communications, a public interest communications firm focusing on LGBT issues.
“It was very close to blaming the victim . . .,” said Kevin Jennings, founder and executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a national education organization focused on safe schools.
And recently, GLAAD secured an op-ed in the Ventura County Star highlighting the common threads linking the Shepard and King tragedies.
As candlelight vigils and benefits take place across the country this week in remembrance of the ten years passed since Matthew Shepard’s murder, we also remember countless others like Lawrence King and urge the media to increase responsible coverage of hate crimes against LGBT people.
