The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force released a statement on Monday announcing that, according to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, at least 20 gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) people have been murdered in the United States over the past year. NGTLF executive director Kerry Lobel called for renewed dedication to the pasage of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, still pending in Congress. Since the highly publicized murder of college student Matthew Shepard, only Missouri has enacted new hate crimes legislation, and California, and New Hampshire have strengthened existing statues. Legislation that would protect GLBT people failed in twenty-two states. Lobel importantly notes that many of the victims of hate violence were transgendered; their deaths received little media attention. Lobel stressed that hate crimes differ from other crimes because GBLT people are “selected because of the community we represent” (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; press release 10/11/99).
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