Laramie Project- Chloe Chiappetti

Chloe Chiappetti

The Laramie Project

            The Laramie Project is about the tragic murder of Matthew Shepard, who was killed in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998 because of his sexual orientation. Since it first premiered in 1999, The Laramie Project has caught the attention of plays at high schools, colleges, and professional theaters across the nation. While reading the play there were two characters that caught my attention but had very different views on  Matthew Sheppard's death.

Matt Galloway was the Bartender at the Fireside who seems to take on the role of the bystander that failed to act but was a key witness in this case.  He was bar tending the night of Sheppard's murder and described him as polite and intelligent. He said he was just enjoying his drinks and wasn’t looking around for attention. Later in the night Sheppard's murders came in and said they were rude and broke paying for their drinks in quarters and dimes. However they stated that Matt had approached them and came on to them which Galloway didn’t believe for a second. “ Why would he approach them Why them? He wasn’t approaching anyone else in the bar. They say hes gay, he was a flaming gay, he’s gonna come on to people like that. Bullshit. He never came on to me. Hello?? He came on to them? I don’t believe it.” (Kaufman108) Galloway was an honest man who could have cared less of Sheppard's sexual orientation but deeply sympathized for the horrible gruesome death he endured. Galloway was certain that the two men were responsible for this. 

The Baptist  Minister wasn’t accepting of Sheppard's lifestyle and had very strict views on people that were gay. He believes that the Bible states that homosexuality is wrong. He stated “ I know the lifestyle is legal, but I will tell you one thing: I hope that Matthhew Sheppard as he was tied to that fence, that he had time to reflect on a moment when someone had spoken the word of the Lord to him- and that before he slipped into coma he has a chance to reflect on his lifestyle”.(Kaufman127) The Baptist minister didn’t hold back whatsoever in expressing his beliefs and another reason I think he felt so strongly on anti gay rights  were due to the beliefs he practiced in church.

The two people that I have mentioned have completely different views on his death but in the end what happened to Matthew Sheppard was a complete tragedy.  In today’s society The Laramie Project shows us not only how far we've come, but how far we have still to go in the fight for true equality.