THIS EFFORT IS IN HONOR OF

Keisha Jenkins

TO READ HER STORY CLICK HERE

________________________________

Hello.

My name is John Mateer. Eight years ago I was visiting my friend at her school, Penn State University, when something happened that ended up changing the course of my life entirely. 

When standing alone outside of a fraternity party that my friend had brought me to, I overheard an argument as the brothers were ejecting (whom I thought at the time to be) another fraternity brother. The overwhelming and repetitive use of the homophobic slur—‘f*ggot’— led to my brief interjection in an attempt to get them to stop yelling it, and I explained to them that I myself am gay and it’s harsh to hear it used over and over and over like that so viciously. To be honest with you, as disturbing as it is to think of in hindsight — I was also mainly sticking up for the guy they were kicking out and yelling the word at. Something that I wish I had never done.

I was then asked to leave as well.

I had no problem with this, and began to leave the property when I felt and heard as the other guy ejected was following uncomfortably close behind me. When I turned to question him on it he blatantly told me he hates gay people and began assaulting me— eventually leaving me bloody and unconscious in the street. 

My assailant was not charged with a hate crime, even though his only motive was proven to be hate towards gay people. During a press conference, a superior officer of the State College Police Department openly stated “there were derogatory comments made prior to and during the assault,” before going on to explain that regardless of this fact, the attack was not considered a hate crime because LGBTQIA citizens are still not protected under hate crime laws in the state of Pennsylvania.

Eight years later, in 2023, this remains true and this petition seeks to change this.

PA officials who you should reach out to and demand protection from (click their name to be directed to their contact form or directly to their email):

Governor Josh Shapiro

 

Rep. Joanna McClinton (D)

PA Speaker of the House

Tel: +12157486712

Click here for her contact form

 

Rep. Matthew Bradford (D)

PA House of Reps Majority Leader

Tel: +16102223490

Click here to email him!

 

Rep. Bryan Cutler (R)

PA House of Reps Minority Leader

Tel: +17177836424

Click here for his contact form

 

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE PENNSYLVANIA STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES & THEIR CONTACT INFO

&

CLICK HERE FOR PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATE AND CONTACT INFO

PLEASE SHARE THIS LINK AFTER YOU SIGN! (CHANGE.ORG/LGBTHATECRIME)

URGE YOUR LOCAL MEDIA TO REPORT ON OUR PETITION! CLICK HERE for a huge list of contacts for media around the country.

PLEASE! Consider chipping in! The money goes to change.org to promote our petition and get more signatures. It may sound silly, but truly even $2 makes a difference. It helps to get the petition out there and seen by more potential supporters — strengthening the cause and giving us a fighting chance. If you can, it would be appreciated more than words could ever explain. 

The more signatures, the more milestones we hit and that means the more that The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania will be urged to respond to us!

WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE. AS A COMMUNITY, WE SIMPLY CANNOT JUST SIT IDLY BY AS OUR OWN ARE HURT— MURDERED— AND NOTHING IS DONE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HATRED INVOLVED IN THE CRIME. WE HAVE TO BE LOUD. WE HAVE TO DEMAND THAT THEY LISTEN TO US OTHERWISE WE DON’T STAND A CHANCE.

I KNOW WE CAN AND WILL SAVE LIVES! BUT WE ALL HAVE TO DO OUR PART.

ALLIES: WE NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER! SHARE! DONATE! SPREAD THE WORD EVERYWHERE!

IF WE ALL COME TOGETHER...

WE. WILL. WIN.

- John Mateer