Jeff Kunerth Sentinel Staff Writer
April 26, 2008
The parents of Ryan Keith Skipper, the victim of a gay-hate-crime murder in Polk County, will mark what would have been his 27th birthday Monday by joining others in support of anti-bullying legislation in Tallahassee.
Hate crimes against gays can start with bullying of gay students in high schools, said Brian Winfield, communications director for Equality Florida, a gay civil-rights organization."Bullies are the people who grow up to commit hate crimes in early adulthood," he said.
Skipper was stabbed to death March 14, 2007, his body dumped on an unpaved road and his car burned and abandoned beside a Winter Haven lake. Two men have been charged with his murder.
Ryan endured bullying in school and endured bullying and harassment afterward. It ultimately ended up with his murder," said Lynn Mulder, Skipper's stepfather.The Safe Schools bill before the Legislature does not specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity but is a major step in addressing the harassment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, Winfield said.
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