Obama signs Matthew Shepard Act.

On Wednesday, US President - Barrack Obama - signed into law the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Prevention Act. The legislation expands the definition of federal hate crimes to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Before signing the bill the President declared: “After more than a decade of opposition we passed inclusive hate crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray or who they are.”

The bill defines hate crimes as those motivated by prejudice against race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. It allows the Attorney General to assist cities and states in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.

The Act is named after Matthew Shepard, the 21 year old University of Wyoming student, who was brutally murdered in a homophobic attack in Laramie in 1998.

After Matthew's murder his parents - Judy and Dennis - set up the Matthew Shepard Foundation to reach out to communities and encourage people to "Replace Hate with Understanding, Compassion, and Acceptance."

For the last ten years they have been calling for federal action to prevent and properly prosecute hate crimes against gay, lesbian and transgendered Americans.

In a statement, Judy Shepard praised the President and the Senate for finally passing the bill, she said: "We are incredibly grateful to Congress and the president for taking this step forward on behalf of hate crime victims and their families, especially given the continuing attacks on people simply for living their lives openly and honestly. But each of us can and must do much more to ensure true equality for all Americans."

She also called for full equality in all walks of life for American LGBTs: "Campaigning for hate-crimes legislation may be what I am known best for, but our family and the Matthew Shepard Foundation will continue to push for true equality for every American until the work is complete. Too many people face the threat of losing their jobs or their homes due to their sexual orientation. Too many same-sex couples lack legal protections for their property, their health care decisions, and their children. Too many devoted and dedicated service members are being turned away by our armed forces."

Matthew's memory lives on through the new bill, and the events which led to his murder and the impact that his death had on the city Laramie have been documented in the play and the film The Laramie Project which have been seen across the world.

Thousands of school children in Manchester (UK) have heard about Matthews's story via the Exceeding Expectations school project - which challenges homophobic bullying. Many of the young people who see the Exceeding Expectations play OUTLOUD, often say that it's the short film about Matthew that affects them the most.

For more on Matthew Shepard, click here.

For more on Exceeding Expectations, click here.