Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on Wyoming from the perspective of people who at one point had made their home in the state. It highlights the political and cultural life of the state and debunks the characterization of Wyoming as part of the unlawful “Wild West” by providing examples of life there drawn from residents’ depiction of their everyday lives. The book examines how Shepard’s murder continues to shape media representations of anti-LGBTQ violence and the ways in which normative discourses affect public perception of victims. It provides a scathing critique of the town of Laramie and the University of Wyoming’s intransigence around anti-LGBTQ discrimination and their hostility toward gender nonconforming and trans students. The book looks at the impact of federal policies on bias motivated violence in rural United States.