A Welcome Message
Stephen V. Sprinkle
Welcome to the Unfinished Lives Project, a place to remember and honor LGBT hate crime victims.
Our mission is to reveal the reality of unseen violence perpetrated against people whose only “offense” is their sexual orientation; to make anti-LGBT hate crime statistics available to our communities; to educate about the nature of hate crimes and how it affects LGBT and other communities; and to eliminate hate crime through social justice and awareness activities. On our website, we’ve dedicated pages and posts to achieve our mission:
- The Unfinished Lives Home Page
- LGBT Hate Crime Victims
- Statistics about Hate Crimes in America
- The Miscarriage of Justice for LGBT Victims
- How the Media Contribute to the Invisibility of Hate Crime
- Our Project’s Efforts to Eliminate Hate Crime
- Our Presentation for Community Education and Awareness
- The Groups and Organizations Who Support Our Mission
A near brush with anti-gay hate crime in the late 1990’s in Fort Worth, Texas, shocked me awake to the reality of violence against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people across America. As a graduate school professor, my pursuits are usually quiet ones, preparing for class, and doing my research. But my quest to understand the effects and causes of hatred against people because of their difference has made me stare into the face of radical evil: the sort that kills.
Because of my work and research, I have learned how much all of us need each other–especially all of us who are members of racial/ethnic, religious, differently-abled, female, and LGBT communities. I have learned how vital the work of advocacy is. I have learned how precious life itself is, and how fragile. For this project, I have interviewed relatives, bereaved lovers, co-workers, neighbors and friends, journalists, and law enforcement officers who had direct knowledge about the women and men who died so brutally because of ignorance, prejudice and fear. It has been the journey of a lifetime, and in a strange way, though I am a teacher, these deceased LGBT people have become my teachers.
I want to convey to anyone who will listen that it is possible by hope to bring something beautiful and meaningful out of the ugliest realities of American life. Every time I meet a mother or lover, a friend or an advocate of one of these murdered LGBT people and share their stories, the intentions of the killers and the haters are frustrated, and the hope for a better, more just society somehow springs to life from the ashes.
I dedicate this website to the victims and to all those working for a better world. Thank you for visiting with us, and for joining us in our pursuit for a world free of violence and fear.
I hope you will visit us often.
Sincerely,
Stephen V. Sprinkle
Director
The Unfinished Lives Project
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About
If you are a first-time visitor to the Unfinished Lives Project website, we invite you to read A Welcome Message introducing you to our project. We are truly grateful for your visit.
The Unfinished Lives Project website is a place of public discourse which remembers and honors LGBTQ hate crime victims, while also revealing the reality of unseen violence perpetrated against people whose only “offense” is their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender presentation. LGBTQ people in the United States are suffering a slow-rolling decimation of terror and murder all across the country. Every locale and demographic of society are affected: First Nations, Anglo, Black, Latino and Latina, South and Southeast Asian, Transgender, Bisexuals, Gay men, Lesbians, disabled, young, and mature. Homophobia has a long, crooked arm, and it is reaching out to snatch the life away from women and men whose tragic stories are under-reported to begin with, and whose memories are swiftly forgotten.
The horror of these killings transcends the shock and bereavement of loved ones and friends. These are not typical homicides; they are not killings for money or drugs, incidents of domestic strife, or crimes of passion. The vicious nature of hate crimes against LGBTQ persons is extremely brutal, grotesquely violent, and egregiously hateful.
Each murder serves the LGBTQ population as a sobering warning about the actual level of danger in our communities. The message these killings send is that freedom and open life for LGBTQ people is a cruel dream. Every time we remember one of these victims, however, the intentions of their killers are frustrated. To remember these women and men is to begin the process of changing the culture that killed them.
Our Project Director
Stephen V. Sprinkle is Director of Field Education and Supervised Ministry, and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Brite Divinity School, Fort Worth, Texas, a post he has held since 1994. An ordained Baptist minister, he is the first open and out Gay scholar in the history of the Divinity School, and the first open and out LGBTQ person to be tenured there. Read More…
Recent Social Justice Advocacy Activity By Dr. Sprinkle
Summer 2009 – Dr. Sprinkle responded to the Fort Worth Police Department and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Raid on the Rainbow Lounge, Fort Worth’s newest gay bar, on June 28, 2009, the exact 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. Dr. Sprinkle was invited to speak at three protest events sponsored by Queer LiberAction of Dallas. Here, he is keynoting the Rainbow Lounge Protest at the Tarrant County Courthouse on July 12, 2009. Read More…
Contact Us
Communicate with the Unfinished Lives project team:
info@unfinishedlivesblog.com
Schedule a Presentation
Dr. Sprinkle will gladly present his acclaimed presentation to your organization. To arrange an Unfinished Lives presentation for your organization or group, please contact us.
Dr. Sprinkle has given his Unfinished Lives presentation to these and other community groups and organizations. Read More…
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I recently “came out” to my congregation and denomination as a transgender clergy. I have faithfully served The United Methodist Church for twenty-seven years. While most responses and comments to sharing my story have been positive, I have also received hateful, cruel, and sometimes frightening comments. Without exception, every transphobic comment has been made anonymously, revealing the level of arrogance, cowardice, bigoted hatred, fear,and unwillingness to dialogue among the persons and groups perpetraing these crimes.
Rev. Weekley,
I believe I am a subscriber to your website gaychristian and if you are the same person, your work is both scholarly and full of God’s wisdom. I applaud your bravery and I will say this, even as a person in the lgbt community there are some ignorances that go on from not being fully aware or informed re: our transgendered brothers and sisters. I am currently working on a short film for school on Transgenderism where I interviewed several transgendered females and gained some perspective on their lives. I will problably look to expand the work in the future but it will be used as a tool to educate both the lgbt as well as non lgbt communities about our community.
Dr. Sprinkle,
I am encouraged by the work you are doing. As a heterosexual who has more homosexual friends than straight ones it seems, I am extremely sensitive to the fight for rights and respect that the LGBT community is going through. I have changed denominations and am now part of an open and affirming congregation of the UCC in Newark, Delaware. Keep up the good work. I am passing your facebook posts on to my friends here in Delaware and they are being received with great encouragement. Blessings to you and all you do.
Many thanks, Patty! Give my regards to all who cannot rest until justice comes for everyone. Good to hear from you!
Steve Sprinkle
I am a minister of a radically inclusive church in Harlem NY and recently I haved stepped into my own authenticity from years of attempting to “pass” or be ambiguous because of fear of being rejected from my church community and being despised by friends and family. After 2 failed marriages to 2 very great men (2nd was gay and tried to appease his deeply religious family) I realized the disservice I was doing to myself and those I was in fellowship was immense. Outside of my community I do at times feel at a loss but it is now a loss I’m willing to take to give a face to the community of which I am a part of. I believe in the radical love of Jesus Christ and I believe equality for all is vital and paramount for our survival! Thanks for your research and God bless you!
Thank you very much for you work on behalf of Queers.
I’m Alice, a 25 year old trans girl from Canada. I just stumbled across this site at work. I want to say thank you for doing this, and how saddened I am that it is required. Thank you for doing this for those of us who no longer have a voice.
Thank you for these lovely words of encouragement, Alice. Happy Holidays!
Unfinished Lives