Living in a Social World
Psy 324: Advanced Social Psychology
Spring, 1999
News from a Social Psychology Perspective
Crimes Against Homosexuals: A Manifestation of Hate-- April, 1999
Analysis by
Amy Mackey, Carissa Mumy
Liz Stricklen, & Yvette Otterman
Matthew Shepard, a 5’2’’ 105 pounds University of Wyoming student was pistol-whipped, tied to a fence post and left to die in near freezing temperatures on October 6, 1998. It was known that Shepard was homosexual. Russell Arthur Henderson and Aaron James McKinney are charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, and aggravated robbery. With the intent to rob him, the two men allegedly pretended to be gay so that they might attract the interest of their victim. Henderson recently pleaded guilty in order to reduce his sentence from the death penalty to life imprisonment. Shepard has become a martyr for many gay and lesbian activists who point out that this gruesome incident is just one of many acts of violence committed against homosexuals in our society. Under current laws, these acts are not considered federal hate crimes -- only crimes motivated by religion and race can be prosecuted as hate crimes. Clinton has recently proposed the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which would expand current laws to include gender, sexual orientation, and disability as possible instigators of violence.
In our class discussion, we addressed these and other relevant issues. Various stereotypical differences were discussed, among them: Miami students vs. Oxford residents, high school vs. college students, Greek vs. non-Greek community members, and underclassmen vs. upperclassmen. From the Miami student perspective, members of the Oxford community, or "townies," are commonly associated with driving pickup trucks, being uneducated, and loitering uptown in the public park. Community residents also have certain stereotypes about Miami students. They view students as rich, snobby party animals that disrupt the peace of their otherwise quiet small town. This simple example illustrates that our experience-based perspectives shape the stereotypes we hold.
Stereotype formation is an efficient use of cognitive resources. It facilitates the development of categories, which are the basis for in-group/out-group distinctions. Because of the tendency to view out-group members as being all the same, it is easier to hurt or dehumanize them. Our own group, however, is perceived as a collection of individuals with easily identifiable differences. Members of one group look for differences in the other so as to make their own group seem more positive. This inter-group competition is based on the premise of social identity theory. The theory further concludes that when self-esteem is threatened, it increases one’s need to favor the in-group. In our class discussion, it was proposed that Henderson and McKinney’s self-esteem levels were jeopardized when Shepard did not comply with their demands to surrender his wallet.
Even in events where it is obvious that a crime is motivated by hate, due to legal obstacles, it may not be tried as such. Moreover, with the increase in open homosexuality, the prevalence of aggressive acts toward gay and lesbian individuals seems to have also grown. The recent atrocities involving Matthew Shepard and other similar victims emphasize the urgent need to amend hate crime laws to include violence directed at homosexuals.
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