Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard – the young gay man whose brutal murder in Wyoming in 1998 made international headlines – helped open the inaugural North America OutGames on Tuesday with a plea for respect and understanding. In partnership with the Gay and Lesbian International Sports Association, the OutGames are being held in Calgary until 8th April. The event brings together gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and heterosexual people to celebrate sports and culture, and to engage in human rights discussions and workshops. An evening of comedy with ‘out' entertainer Lily Tomlin is a headline event in the OutFest cultural festival that accompanies the Games. Judy Shepard has become an outspoken opponent of violence toward gays since her 21-year-old son was robbed, beaten, pistol whipped, tied to a fence and left to die in a remote rural area near Laramie. Shepard said being gay is nothing to be ashamed of. ``The gay community is not on everyone's radar,'' she said. ``It should be, but it just isn't.'' ``My mission now is to (honor) Matt's life by helping his friends and his community and raise awareness about the things they go through.'' Shepard said Canada is on the right track in protecting gay rights. ``You're ahead of us in a few places - hate speech and marriage,'' she said. ``The U.S. has just fallen behind in who we're supposed to be - very disappointing.'' The OutGames 2007 official website is on the link below. Ref: 365gay.com (m)