Homophobia is any form of prejudice or discrimination against homosexual people. It can range from mild disgust and fear to the religious belief that homosexuality is a sin against God. Extreme homophobia can result in violent hate crimes, such as the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepherd. Shepherd was a student at the University of Wyoming who was beaten to death by two acquaintances because he was gay. The brutal attack provoked international media attention and outrage from the public and entertainment industry. In response, Ellen DeGeneres hosted Shepherd's memorial services, and his story has since been made into a play and film called The Laramie Project.
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