Western Exposure: The Pioneers

On Oct. 11, 1998, a large crowd gathered in Casper’s Pioneer Park in support of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, who lay on life support in a Fort Collins, Colorado, hospital. He died the next day.

On Oct. 21, 2014, two men wed in a small ceremony at Pioneer Park after receiving a marriage license at the courthouse across the street.

I consider the vigil in Pioneer Park for that dying young man a pivotal point in the gay rights movement in Wyoming. It was also the start of what will probably be the biggest ongoing story of my career.

Controversy still exists on exactly why Matthew Shepard died, even within the gay community. What isn’t arguable is the affect his death had on Wyoming, for better and worse. Our “live and let live” Libertarian ethos was bruised as we became known nationally as “the hate state.” It was an unfair portrayal, no doubt, but it did shine a glaring mirror on our overall acceptance of the gay community.

Looking through the Star-Tribune archives recently, I couldn’t help but notice a trend. Many gay people profiled in the paper declined to be photographed, and others even declined the use of their names. While people in the gay community quietly lived and worked in Wyoming, there was still a strong sense of dread when it came to openly discussing their sexuality.

As the years progressed, we found more people willing to talk about being gay. The Shepard murder gave us a reason to return to the issue. We visited the University of Wyoming campus for the 10th anniversary and found many gay and straight people willing to talk. For our coverage marking the 15th anniversary of Shepard’s murder, Star-Tribune reporter Ben Storrow was able to profile several people in the gay community who, luckily for me, were also willing to be photographed.

Our recent coverage of the legalization of same-sex marriage has made some readers bristle, but it’s also made the gay community even more visible. On the day gay marriage was finally allowed in Wyoming, I was able to photograph the first couple to receive their marriage license in Natrona County.

Naturally, we went across the street to Pioneer Park. It seemed more than fitting.

by Dan Cepeda, Star-Tribune staff photographer and writer

Copyright 2014 by Trib.com (Star Tribune, Casper, WY)

The Gayly – November 3, 2014 @ 9:40am