The Motivation behind Hate Crimes

On the cold night of October 6th, 1998, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, lured, kidnapped, robbed, beat and murdered a young gay man, Matthew Shepard. The two men explained that they were out that night to get drunk and rob someone. When Shepard asked the two for a ride home, Henderson and McKinney not only took his money, but beat him brutally and left Shepard to die, tied to a fence. The family members of the two suspects argued that Matthew Shepard came on to the two men during the car ride and embarrassed them. But what causes this embarrassment to become enough rage and hatred for human beings to commit a heinous crime? What motivates these brutal hate crimes and stories similar to Matthew Shepard’s?

Although Henderson’s and McKinney’s families believe it was brought on by the intention of robbery, many argue the murder of Matthew Shepard was motivated by hate of homosexuals. Hate crimes, although steady in their statistics (due to the lack of crimes being reported), are dangerous acts that need to be observed and understood. By understanding what drives and motivates perpetrators to commit a hate crime, society can decrease the statistics and become more open to people who are different from the expected norm. The research article, Hate crimes against gay males by Danny Willis states that the United States Department of Justice “reported 1,486 hate crime offenses based on sexual orientation in 2000 resulting in 1,558 known victims. The majority, 1,023 or 68% of the offenses, were ‘anti-male homosexual’ meaning the offenses were directed at actual gay males or males perceived to be gay.”

There are many theories as to how anger generates and motivates hate crimes in society. In the research article What motivates hate crimes based on sexual orientation? Mediating effects of anger on antigay aggression, Dominic Parrott and John Peterson state that there are “three complimentary theoretical models that explain the motives for antigay aggression have garnered the most attention: sexual prejudice, peer dynamics and thrill seeking.” Parrot and Peterson also explain that these three theories can either be the sole motivating factor or the hate crime can be motivated by a combination of the theories.

Sexual prejudice, one of the possible motives for committing a hate crime, is having a negative regard towards non-heterosexual behavior and communities. Sexual prejudice can come about and grow throughout a person’s life from values taught through the family, society, or the religious community. Sexual prejudice can be demonstrated through aggression toward the gay community, then through anger, and finally through an act of hate crime.

Associated with sexual prejudice is the perception that homosexuality threatens traditional gender roles of society. This feeling of threat mixed in with anger can cause someone with sexual prejudice to lash out and become violent. For example Parrott and Peterson state, “sexually prejudiced individuals perceive same sex relationships as a threat to core values and to traditional social institutions such as marriage.” Sexually prejudiced individuals feel as though sexual behavior that deviates from their own gender role threatens the stability of society. This threat of an unstable society can cause sexual prejudiced individuals to commit hate crimes against homosexual men. As Parrot and Peterson discuss recent research, “survey-based studies have demonstrated a positive association between sexual prejudice and self-reported past aggressive behavior toward gay men.” Once a sexually prejudiced person feels threatened by homosexuality and already feels it to be wrong behavior, anger and aggression can build up against gay men.

Peer dynamics can be another motive for committing a hate cry against gay men. Peer dynamics is the idea that a man might become aggressive towards gay men in order to prove his toughness and heterosexuality to his friends. If a man’s masculinity comes into question, he might become angry and try to regain that masculinity by showing aggression towards a homosexual male. Some men who have their masculinity challenged might simply just exaggerate stereotypical masculine emotions (like anger and toughness), however according to Parrott and Peterson, “aggression directed toward feminine targets, especially gay men, represents an ideal opportunity to publicly display one’s masculinity.”

Thrill seeking can also be a motive for participating in a hate crime, although it is usually a contributing motive to either sexual prejudice or peer dynamics. Thrill seeking is explained as an individual attacking a gay man simply out of boredom. In most cases, thrill seeking is the side dish to the main plate of sexual prejudice against gay men. According to Parrott and Peterson others that show aggression towards most individuals, pick gay men as their victims because “they are easy targets.”

Motivations of hate crime against gay men can be summarized into three theories: sexual prejudice, peer dynamics and thrill seeking. Although each branches out to its own explanation as to why an individual might commit a hate crime, the three theories of motives have a root similarity. All three must have grown and progressed from an individual who was taught to be prejudice against homosexuality or from and individual who has become angry from past experiences against gay men. Henderson and McKinney most likely had a combination of the three theories as motives to killing Matthew Shepard. They needed to reclaim there “manhood” after, as they stated, Matthew made a pass on them. They also had some bias and prejudice towards gay men. While being questioned by the sheriff, McKinney said, “No, I don’t” to the question of whether he like homosexuals. Part of the two young men’s motives must also have been to have a thrill and be amused. In the same questioning, McKinney states he could, “just remember Russ was laughing at first”. Henderson’s and McKinney’s statements and actions illustrate that all three main theories could have been the motives to killing Matthew Shepard. Understanding these motives of hate crimes can better help society and the government to stop from stories like Matthew Shepard’s of ever reoccurring.