Editing Matthew Shepard (section)

==Legacy==
In the years following her son's death, Judy Shepard has worked as an advocate for [[LGBTQ rights in the United States|LGBTQ rights]], particularly issues relating to gay youth.<ref name=Ring /> She was a main force behind the [[Matthew Shepard Foundation]], which she and her husband, Dennis, founded in December 1998.<ref name=Pilkington>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/10/matthew-shepard-wyoming-gay-rights-laws |title=Fifteen years after Matthew Shepard's murder, Wyoming remains anti-gay |newspaper=The Guardian |date=October 10, 2013 |access-date=March 20, 2017 |first=Ed |last=Pilkington |archive-date=March 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321172514/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/10/matthew-shepard-wyoming-gay-rights-laws |url-status=live }}</ref>

Gay rights activist [[John Stoltenberg]] has said that to portray Shepard as a gay-bashing victim is to present an incomplete account of his victimization: "Keeping Matthew as the poster boy of gay-hate crime and ignoring the full tragedy of his story has been the agenda of many gay-movement leaders.  Ignoring the tragedies of Matthew's life prior to his murder will do nothing to help other young men in our community who are sold for sex, ravaged by drugs, and generally exploited."<ref name="Bindel"/>

In June 2019, Shepard was one of the inaugural 50 American "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes" inducted on the [[National LGBTQ Wall of Honor]] within the [[Stonewall National Monument]] (SNM) in [[New York City]]'s [[Stonewall Inn]].<ref name=":23">{{Cite web|url=https://www.metro.us/news/local-news/new-york/stonewall-inn-lgbtq-wall-honor|title=National LGBTQ Wall of Honor unveiled at Stonewall Inn|last=Glasses-Baker|first=Becca|date=June 27, 2019|website=www.metro.us|access-date=June 28, 2019|archive-date=June 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190628133313/https://www.metro.us/news/local-news/new-york/stonewall-inn-lgbtq-wall-honor|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SDGLN">{{Cite web|url=https://sdgln.com/news/2019/06/19/national-lgbtq-wall-honor-be-unveiled-historic-stonewall-inn|title=National LGBTQ Wall of Honor to be unveiled at historic Stonewall Inn|last=Rawles|first=Timothy |date=June 19, 2019|website=San Diego Gay and Lesbian News|language=en|access-date=June 21, 2019|archive-date=June 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621091646/https://sdgln.com/news/2019/06/19/national-lgbtq-wall-honor-be-unveiled-historic-stonewall-inn|url-status=live}}</ref> The SNM is the first [[National monument (United States)|U.S. national monument]] dedicated to LGBTQ rights and [[LGBTQ history|history]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Laird|first=Cynthia|url=https://www.ebar.com/news/news//272833|title=Groups seek names for Stonewall 50 honor wall|website=The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc.|language=en|access-date=May 24, 2019|archive-date=May 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524021601/https://www.ebar.com/news/news//272833|url-status=live}}</ref> and the wall's unveiling was timed to take place during the [[Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019|50th anniversary]] of the [[Stonewall riots]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sachet|first=Donna|url=http://sfbaytimes.com/stonewall-50/|title=Stonewall 50|date=April 3, 2019|website=San Francisco Bay Times|access-date=May 25, 2019|archive-date=May 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190525134357/http://sfbaytimes.com/stonewall-50/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Hate crime legislation===
{{Main|Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act}}
{{See also|Hate crime laws in the United States}}
[[{{Not a typo|File:Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.jpg}}<!-- Do not change the spelling of the file! -->|alt=President Obama with Louvon Harris, Betty Byrd Boatner, and Judy Shepard|thumb|right|President [[Barack Obama]] greets Louvon Harris, left, Betty Byrd Boatner, right, both sisters of [[Murder of James Byrd Jr.|James Byrd&nbsp;Jr.]], and [[Judy Shepard]] at a 2009 reception commemorating the enactment of [[Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act|the legislation]].]]

Requests for new legislation to address hate crimes gained momentum during coverage of the incident.<ref>{{cite news |author=Colby College |author-link=Colby College |date=March 7, 2006 |title=Mother of Hate-Crime Victim to Speak at Colby |url=http://www.colby.edu/news/detail/612 |url-status=dead |access-date=April 6, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060911192640/http://www1.colby.edu/news/detail/612/ |archive-date=September 11, 2006}} Press release.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1009867|title=Open phones|access-date=April 6, 2006|work=[[Talk of the Nation]]|publisher=[[National Public Radio]]|date=October 12, 1998|archive-date=March 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317004702/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1009867|url-status=live}} "Denounced nationwide as a hate crime" at 1:40 elapsed time.</ref> Under existing [[United States]] federal law<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/hate.htm|access-date=April 6, 2006|title=Investigative Programs: Civil Rights: Hate Crimes|publisher=[[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]|archive-date=April 5, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060405063153/http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/hate.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and Wyoming state law,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/provisions.asp|access-date=April 6, 2006|title=Map of State Statutes|publisher=[[Anti-Defamation League]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629023522/http://www.adl.org/99hatecrime/provisions.asp|archive-date=June 29, 2011}}</ref> crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation could not be prosecuted as hate crimes.

A few hours after Shepard was discovered, his friends Walt Boulden and Alex Trout began to contact media organizations, claiming that Shepard had been assaulted because he was gay. According to prosecutor Cal Rerucha, "They were calling the County Attorney's office, they were calling the media and indicating Matthew Shepard is gay and we don't want the fact that he is gay to go unnoticed."<ref name="abcnews"/>  Tina Labrie, a close friend of Shepard's, said "[Boulden and Trout] wanted to make [Matt] a poster child or something for their cause".<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/22/the-myths-of-matthew-shepard-s-infamous-death.html The Myths of Matthew Shepard's Infamous Death] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027015110/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/22/the-myths-of-matthew-shepard-s-infamous-death.html |date=October 27, 2014 }} ''[[The Daily Beast]]'' (September 22, 2013)</ref>  Boulden linked the attack to the absence of a Wyoming criminal statute providing for a hate crimes charge.<ref name="Bindel">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/26/the-truth-behind-americas-most-famous-gay-hate-murder-matthew-shepard |title=The truth behind America's most famous gay-hate murder |author=Julie Bindel |author-link=Julie Bindel |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=October 25, 2014 |access-date=September 10, 2018 |archive-date=May 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510183927/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/26/the-truth-behind-americas-most-famous-gay-hate-murder-matthew-shepard |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the following session of the Wyoming Legislature, a bill was introduced that defined certain attacks motivated by a victim's sexual orientation as hate crimes. The measure failed on a 30–30 tie in the [[Wyoming House of Representatives]].<ref>{{cite news|title=The 'Hate State' Myth|last=Blanchard|first=Robert O.|url=http://reason.com/9905/fe.rb.the.shtml|access-date=April 6, 2006|date=May 1999|work=[[Reason (magazine)|Reason]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060405031833/http://reason.com/9905/fe.rb.the.shtml|archive-date=April 5, 2006}}</ref><ref name=Pilkington />

President [[Bill Clinton]] renewed attempts to extend federal [[hate crime]] legislation to include [[homosexuality|gay]] people, women, and people with [[disability|disabilities]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Barrett|first=Ted|others=[[Associated Press]]|date=September 13, 2000|title=President Clinton urges Congress to pass hate crimes bill: GOP aides predict legislation will pass House, but will not become law|publisher=CNN|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/09/13/hate.crimes/index.html|access-date=April 7, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526040218/http://transcripts.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/09/13/hate.crimes/index.html|archive-date=May 26, 2008}}</ref> A Hate Crimes Prevention Act was introduced in both the [[United States Senate]] and [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] in November 1997, and reintroduced in March 1999, but was passed by only the Senate in July 1999.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hrc.org/resources/hate-crimes-timeline |title=Hate Crimes Timeline |publisher=Human Rights Campaign |access-date=March 21, 2017 |archive-date=March 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319072614/http://www.hrc.org/resources/hate-crimes-timeline |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2000, both houses of [[United States Congress|Congress]] passed such legislation; however, it was stripped out in [[United States congressional conference committee|conference committee]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Office of House Democratic Leader [[Nancy Pelosi]]|date=October 7, 2004|url=http://democraticleader.house.gov/press/releases.cfm?pressReleaseID=718|access-date=April 7, 2006|title=House Democrats Condemn GOP Rejection of Hate Crimes Legislation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060401180910/http://democraticleader.house.gov/press/releases.cfm?pressReleaseID=718|archive-date=April 1, 2006}} Press release.</ref>

On March 20, 2007, the [[Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act]] ({{USBill|110|HR|1592}}) was introduced as federal bipartisan legislation in the [[U.S. Congress]], sponsored by Democrat [[John Conyers]] with 171 co-sponsors. It would amend the existing federal hate crimes definition and expand it to cover gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, and require reporting by the FBI of those crimes included in the expansion. Shepard's parents attended the introduction ceremony. The bill passed the House of Representatives on May 3, 2007. Similar legislation passed in the Senate on September 27, 2007<ref>{{cite news |author=Simon, R. |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hate4may04,0,3438099.story |title=Bush threatens to veto expansion of hate-crime law |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 3, 2007 |access-date=May 7, 2007 |archive-date=May 13, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070513092145/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-hate4may04,0,3438099.story |url-status=live }}</ref> ({{USBill|110|S|1105}}), however then-President [[George W. Bush]] indicated he would [[veto]] the legislation if it reached his desk.<ref>{{cite news|author=Stout, D.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/04/washington/04hate.html|title=House Votes to Expand Hate Crime Protection|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 3, 2007|access-date=February 11, 2017|archive-date=April 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429152657/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/04/washington/04hate.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] leadership dropped the legislation in response to opposition from conservative groups and Bush, and because the measure was attached to a defense bill there was a lack of support from [[antiwar]] Democrats.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=17078|title=Congress Drops Hate-Crimes Bill|first=Amy|last=Wooten|date=January 1, 2008|access-date=July 31, 2008|work=[[Windy City Times]]|archive-date=June 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608060501/http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=17078|url-status=live}}</ref> On December 10, 2007, congressional powers attached bipartisan hate crimes legislation to a Department of Defense Authorization bill, although it failed to pass. [[Nancy Pelosi]], Speaker of the House, said she was "still committed to getting the Matthew Shepard Act passed". Pelosi planned to get the bill passed in early 2008<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/opinion/10mon3.html "Caving in on Hate Crimes"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926090024/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/opinion/10mon3.html |date=September 26, 2018 }}, ''New York Times'', December 10, 2007; retrieved December 11, 2007.</ref> although she did not succeed. Following his election as president, [[Barack Obama]] stated that he was committed to passing the act.<ref>{{cite news|first=Joshua|last=Lynsen|title=Obama renews commitment to gay issues|url=http://www.washblade.com/2008/6-13/news/national/12766.cfm|work=Washington Blade|publisher=Window Media LLC Productions|date=June 13, 2008|access-date=November 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617231821/http://www.washblade.com/2008/6-13/news/national/12766.cfm|archive-date=June 17, 2008}}</ref>

The U.S. House of Representatives debated expansion of hate crimes legislation on April 29, 2009. During the debate, Representative [[Virginia Foxx]] of North Carolina called the "hate crime" labeling of Shepard's murder a "hoax".<ref>{{cite news|last=Grim|first=Ryan|title=Virginia Foxx: Story of Matthew Shepard's Murder A "Hoax"|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/29/virginia-foxx-story-of-ma_n_192971.html|date=April 29, 2009|work=Huffington Post|access-date=April 29, 2009|archive-date=August 5, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805063843/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/29/virginia-foxx-story-of-ma_n_192971.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Foxx later called her comments "a poor choice of words".<ref>{{cite web|title=Congresswoman calls gay death case a 'hoax'|url=https://abc11.com/archive/6788587/|access-date=April 29, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100905055218/http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=6788587|archive-date=September 5, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> The House passed the act, designated {{USBill|111|HR|1913}}, by a vote of 249 to 175.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/house-passes-hate-crimes-bill|title=House Passes Hate-Crimes Bill|last=Stout|first=David|date=April 29, 2009|newspaper=New York Times|access-date=April 30, 2009|archive-date=May 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502084139/http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/house-passes-hate-crimes-bill/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ted Kennedy]], [[Patrick Leahy]], and a bipartisan coalition introduced the bill in the Senate on April 28;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=11668|title=Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act Introduced in Senate|publisher=Feminist.org|date=April 29, 2009|access-date=March 5, 2010|archive-date=June 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606113023/http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=11668|url-status=live}}</ref> it had 43 cosponsors as of June 17, 2009. The Matthew Shepard Act was adopted as an amendment to S.1390 by a vote of 63–28 on July 15, 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00233|title=U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records: Roll Call Vote|access-date=July 17, 2009|archive-date=July 21, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090721134830/http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=1&vote=00233|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 22, 2009, the Senate passed the act by a vote of 68–29.<ref>Roxana Tiron, "Senate OKs defense bill, 68-29", ''[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]'', found at [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/53047-senate-oks-defense-bill-68-29/ The Hill website]; retrieved October 22, 2009.</ref> President Obama signed the measure into law on October 28, 2009.<ref>{{cite news|title=Senate passes measure that would protect gays|last=Pershing|first=Ben|date=October 23, 2009|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/22/AR2009102204689.html|access-date=September 4, 2017|archive-date=April 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409162056/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/22/AR2009102204689.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mother of Matthew Shepard welcomes U.S. hate crimes bill|last=Geen|first=Jessica|date=October 28, 2009|newspaper=Pink News|access-date=October 28, 2009|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/28/mother-of-matthew-shepard-welcomes-us-hate-crimes-bill|archive-date=November 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091102182629/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/10/28/mother-of-matthew-shepard-welcomes-us-hate-crimes-bill/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Interment in Washington National Cathedral===

On October 26, 2018, just over 20 years after his death, Shepard's ashes were interred at the crypt of [[Washington National Cathedral]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Matthew Shepard Will Be Interred at the Washington National Cathedral, 20 Years After His Death|author=Fortin, Jacey|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/11/us/matthew-shepard-ashes-cathedral.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 11, 2018|access-date=October 11, 2018|archive-date=October 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011142032/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/11/us/matthew-shepard-ashes-cathedral.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vox.com/2018/10/26/18027342/matthew-shepherd-gene-robinson-interring-lgbtq-christians|title=Bishop Robinson welcomes Matthew Shepard — and gay Christians — back to the church|work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|first=Tara Isabella|last=Burton|date=October 26, 2018|access-date=October 26, 2018|archive-date=October 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026232828/https://www.vox.com/2018/10/26/18027342/matthew-shepherd-gene-robinson-interring-lgbtq-christians|url-status=live}}</ref> The ceremony was presided over by the first openly gay Episcopal bishop [[Gene Robinson]], and the [[Episcopal Diocese of Washington|Bishop of Washington]] the Right Reverend [[Mariann Budde|Mariann Edgar Budde]]. Music was performed by the [[Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C.]]; GenOUT; and [[Conspirare]], which performed [[Craig Hella Johnson]]'s ''Considering Matthew Shepard''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45996040|title=Gay hate crime victim interred in capital|date=October 26, 2018|work=BBC News|access-date=October 26, 2018|language=en-GB|archive-date=October 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026222509/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45996040|url-status=live}}</ref> His was the first interment of the ashes of a national figure at the cathedral since [[Helen Keller]]'s 50 years earlier.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chasingchurches.com/2018/10/13/matthew-shepard-and-the-history-of-the-interment-the-dead-in-washington-national-cathedral/|title=Matthew Shepard and the History of the Interment the Dead in Washington National Cathedral|last=Bains|first=Davd|date=October 13, 2018|website=Chasing Churches|access-date=October 20, 2018|archive-date=October 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020094922/https://chasingchurches.com/2018/10/13/matthew-shepard-and-the-history-of-the-interment-the-dead-in-washington-national-cathedral/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===In popular culture===
{{main|Cultural depictions of Matthew Shepard}}
Matthew Shepard's life, death, trial, and its aftermath have inspired [[Cultural depictions of Matthew Shepard|numerous works]], including documentary and narrative films and television shows, stage plays (such as ''[[The Laramie Project]]''), and musical and written works. Additionally, [[NBA]] player [[Jason Collins]] wore the jersey number "98" in honor of Shepard during his 2012–13 season with the [[Boston Celtics]] and the [[Washington Wizards]], and he would come out as [[gay]] following the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Matthew Shepard's Mom Moved to Tears by Jason Collins's Gesture|author=Grindley, Lucas|url=http://www.advocate.com/sports/2013/05/01/matthew-shepards-mom-moved-tears-jason-collinss-gesture|newspaper=The Advocate|date=May 1, 2013|access-date=October 7, 2013|archive-date=December 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202231859/http://www.advocate.com/sports/2013/05/01/matthew-shepards-mom-moved-tears-jason-collinss-gesture|url-status=live}}</ref> After Collins joined the [[Brooklyn Nets]] in 2014, NBA marketing reported high interest in his "98" jersey<ref>{{cite news|title=A Sudden Demand for No. 98 Jerseys|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/sports/basketball/jason-collins-nets-jerseys-set-to-go-on-sale.html|date=February 25, 2014|access-date=February 11, 2017|archive-date=December 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201054758/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/sports/basketball/jason-collins-nets-jerseys-set-to-go-on-sale.html|url-status=live|last1=Berkman |first1=Seth }}</ref> and high sales once the item became available for purchase.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/10515923/jason-collins-jersey-brooklyn-nets-made-available-high-demand|title=Jason Collins' No. 98 for sale|first=Mike|last=Mazzeo|date=February 27, 2014|access-date=April 17, 2014|publisher=ESPN|quote=four of the top five best-selling items ... are Collins items|archive-date=April 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140418220529/http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/10515923/jason-collins-jersey-brooklyn-nets-made-available-high-demand|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24457433/jason-collins-jersey-skyrockets-to-no-1-on-sales-list|title=Jason Collins' jersey skyrockets to No. 1 on sales list|first=Matt|last=Moore|date=February 26, 2014|access-date=April 17, 2014|work=CBS Sports|archive-date=May 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527100615/http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24457433/jason-collins-jersey-skyrockets-to-no-1-on-sales-list|url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed]]'', is a 2009 biographical book by Judy Shepard about her son. Judy Shepard speaks about her loss, her family memories of Matthew, and the tragic event that changed the Shepards' lives and America. ''The Meaning of Matthew'' follows the Shepard family in the days immediately after the crime to see their incapacitated son, kept alive by life support machines; how the Shepards learned of the huge public response, the candlelit vigils and memorial services for their child; and their struggles to navigate the legal system.<ref name="mmatthew"/>

American musician [[Tori Amos]] frequently dedicated her 1998 song "Merman" to Shepard, at the request of fans following her tours at the time.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Tori's Glory |date=November 1999 |magazine=[[Attitude (magazine)|Attitude]] |first=Tori |last=Amos |quote=So yeah, Merman is that. When I was touring last year and Matthew Shepard got murdered I was dedicating it to him. }}</ref>

In 1999, American singer-songwriter [[Melissa Etheridge]] released the song "[[Scarecrow (song)|Scarecrow]]" in Shepard's memory, from her sixth studio album ''[[Breakdown (Melissa Etheridge album)|Breakdown]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Randy |date=1999-12-09 |title= Battling Society's Monsters |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-dec-09-ca-41987-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2023-10-19 |quote=Amid the signature songs of tortured love on Melissa Etheridge's new album, "Breakdown," is "Scarecrow," her scathing response to last year's beating death in Wyoming of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay college student.}}</ref>

In 2006, American metal band [[Trivium (band)|Trivium]] released the song "[[And Sadness Will Sear]]", which was written as a tribute and reminder about Shepard's murder.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Powell |first=Austin |title=Trivium's 'Crusade' |date=February 22, 2007 |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/music/2007-02-22/449844/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |newspaper=The Austin Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>