Mother Of Matthew Shepard: 'Hate Is A Learned Behavior' - Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

The mother of Matthew Shepard, Judy Shepard told Good Day Wednesday morning she feels things have gotten better since her son died in 1998, but she says there's also still much work to be done.

Shepard, who's is the co-founder of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, appeared on Good Day Wednesday morning before she was set to give the keynote address at the Hate Crime Conference at the National Constitution Center.

Shepard lost her son in 1998 when he was murdered for being gay. Matthew Shepard was a student of the University of Wyoming when he was killed.

Judy Shepard says expanded laws such as the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which include sexual orientation and gender identity, have served as a giant step forward in the United States.

Shepard says hate is a learned behavior, which is why education and tolerance are critical.

Although its been more than 10-years since Shepard lost her son, she says dealing with the pain hasn't gotten any easier. However, she believes the work she and others are doing is critical and is something her son would have wanted.

You can watch the full interview with Shepard in the video above. We've also added links to the right of this story to help you learn more about the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the expanded laws.