FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 22, 2009

West Virginia lawmakers vote to include violence based on
sexual orientation and gender identity as hate crimes

Charleston, WV—The following statement was released today by Fairness West Virginia President Stephen Skinner in response to today’s final vote by the U.S. Senate to add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing hate crimes statutes.

“Fairness West Virginia commends Sen. Jay Rockefeller on his vote today to add sexual orientation and gender identity to protected classes under federal hate crimes statutes. Sen. Rockefeller joins West Virginia’s three U.S. House members—Mollohan, Rahall and Capito—in a bipartisan unified vote against intolerance. This is a clear statement that West Virginia values all of our citizens.

“In 2000, Arthur ‘J.R.’ Warren was brutally murdered outside of Fairmont, WV because he was gay.  Every day people just like Warren are bullied, attacked, or murdered because of their real or perceived sexual orientation.

“Now when a person is violently attacked solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, law enforcement officials and prosecutors will have the tools necessary to make sure the assailants are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

“We applaud Sen. Rockefeller and the  three Representatives for supporting legislation to protect LGBT Americans. We look forward to President Obama’s signature.”

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was added as a provision to the Department of Defense Reauthorization bill. The measure will now go to President Obama for his signature. Sen. Robert Byrd was not present to vote on final passage of the legislation, but did vote in favor of cloture earlier today.

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Founded in 2009, Fairness West Virginia is the only statewide LGBT rights organization in the Mountain State.  For more information on our work to create a state that respects all people—regardless of sexual orientation and gender identify—visit www.fairnesswv.org.