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'''Nex Benedict''' (January 11, 2008 – February 8, 2024)<ref name="IndependentHurley22Feb"/> was a 16-year-old [[non-binary]] American student who died the day after an altercation at their{{refn|group=note|name=first|Benedict used they/them and he/him pronouns.<ref name="Cann Feb 26 2024">{{cite news |last1=Cann |first1=Christopher |last2=Young |first2=Molly |last3=Mayes-Osterman |first3=Cybele |title=Death of Nex Benedict did not result from trauma, police say; many questions remain |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/02/22/nex-benedict-case-oklahoma/72695904007/ |access-date=27 February 2024 |work=[[USA Today]] |date=February 26, 2024 |archive-date=February 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227121101/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/02/22/nex-benedict-case-oklahoma/72695904007/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hinton |first1=Carla |title='We lost a member of our community': Hundreds mourn Nex Benedict's death at Oklahoma vigils |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/02/25/hundreds-at-okc-praye-vigil-show-love-honor-for-nex-benedict/72688425007/ |access-date=27 February 2024 |work=[[The Oklahoman]] |date=February 27, 2024 |archive-date=February 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227202326/https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/02/25/hundreds-at-okc-praye-vigil-show-love-honor-for-nex-benedict/72688425007/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This article uses they/them pronouns for consistency.}} high school.
'''Nex Benedict''' (January 11, 2008 – February 8, 2024)<ref name="IndependentHurley22Feb"/> was a 16-year-old [[non-binary]] American student who died the day after an altercation at their{{refn|group=note|name=first|Benedict used they/them and he/him pronouns.<ref name="Cann Feb 26 2024">{{cite news |last1=Cann |first1=Christopher |last2=Young |first2=Molly |last3=Mayes-Osterman |first3=Cybele |title=Death of Nex Benedict did not result from trauma, police say; many questions remain |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/02/22/nex-benedict-case-oklahoma/72695904007/ |access-date=27 February 2024 |work=[[USA Today]] |date=February 26, 2024 |archive-date=February 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227121101/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/02/22/nex-benedict-case-oklahoma/72695904007/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hinton |first1=Carla |title='We lost a member of our community': Hundreds mourn Nex Benedict's death at Oklahoma vigils |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/02/25/hundreds-at-okc-praye-vigil-show-love-honor-for-nex-benedict/72688425007/ |access-date=27 February 2024 |work=[[The Oklahoman]] |date=February 27, 2024 |archive-date=February 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227202326/https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/02/25/hundreds-at-okc-praye-vigil-show-love-honor-for-nex-benedict/72688425007/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This article uses they/them pronouns for consistency.}} high school.


On February 7, Benedict told a police officer they had been beaten that day by three girls in the girls' restroom at [[Owasso High School]] in [[Owasso, Oklahoma]]. According to their mother and friends, they had experienced [[bullying]] from students due to their [[gender identity]] for more than a year before their death.
On February 7, Benedict told a police officer they had been beaten that day by three girls in the girls' restroom at [[Owasso High School]] in [[Owasso, Oklahoma]] after pouring water on them. According to their mother and friends, they had experienced [[bullying]] from students due to their [[gender identity]] for more than a year before their death.


After Benedict's death began to receive widespread news coverage in February, vigils in honor of Benedict were held across the United States. Advocacy and civil rights groups have noted a connection from anti-[[LGBT]] policies and [[anti-LGBT rhetoric|rhetoric]] to Benedict's death, and called for an investigation of the [[Oklahoma State Department of Education]], as well as the removal of [[Ryan Walters (politician)|Ryan Walters]], the [[Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction]]. Walters has defended state policies and criticized responses to Benedict's death as politically motivated.
After Benedict's death began to receive widespread news coverage in February, vigils in honor of Benedict were held across the United States. Advocacy and civil rights groups have noted a connection from anti-[[LGBT]] policies and [[anti-LGBT rhetoric|rhetoric]] to Benedict's death, and called for an investigation of the [[Oklahoma State Department of Education]], as well as the removal of [[Ryan Walters (politician)|Ryan Walters]], the [[Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction]]. Walters has defended state policies and criticized responses to Benedict's death as politically motivated.
Line 22: Line 22:
The [[Office for Civil Rights]] division of the [[U.S. Department of Education]] opened an investigation into the Owasso School District on March 1, following a complaint filed by the [[Human Rights Campaign]]. On March 13, a summary report by the Oklahoma [[medical examiner]] ruled Benedict's [[cause of death]] a [[suicide]].
The [[Office for Civil Rights]] division of the [[U.S. Department of Education]] opened an investigation into the Owasso School District on March 1, following a complaint filed by the [[Human Rights Campaign]]. On March 13, a summary report by the Oklahoma [[medical examiner]] ruled Benedict's [[cause of death]] a [[suicide]].


On March 21, Tulsa County District Attorney [[Steve Kunzweiler]] announced no [[Juvenile delinquency|juvenile charges]] would be filed in connection with the altercation or Benedict's death, and advocacy groups called for an independent investigation. On March 27, a full [[autopsy]] report was released by the Oklahoma medical examiner with a toxicology report, a description of Benedict's injuries, and a reference to handwritten notes describing [[self-harm]] found by Benedict's family.
On March 21, Tulsa County District Attorney [[Steve Kunzweiler]] assessed that the bathroom altercation was mutual combat and announced no [[Juvenile delinquency|juvenile charges]] would be filed in connection with the altercation or Benedict's death, and advocacy groups called for an independent investigation. On March 27, a full [[autopsy]] report was released by the Oklahoma medical examiner with a toxicology report, a description of Benedict's injuries, and a reference to handwritten notes describing [[self-harm]] found by Benedict's family.


==Background==
==Background==

Revision as of 00:37, 28 March 2024

Nex Benedict
A young person smiles slightly for the camera.
Benedict in 2023
Born(2008-01-11)January 11, 2008
El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Died (aged 16)
Owasso, Oklahoma, U.S.

Nex Benedict (January 11, 2008 – February 8, 2024)[1] was a 16-year-old non-binary American student who died the day after an altercation at their[note 1] high school.

On February 7, Benedict told a police officer they had been beaten that day by three girls in the girls' restroom at Owasso High School in Owasso, Oklahoma after pouring water on them. According to their mother and friends, they had experienced bullying from students due to their gender identity for more than a year before their death.

After Benedict's death began to receive widespread news coverage in February, vigils in honor of Benedict were held across the United States. Advocacy and civil rights groups have noted a connection from anti-LGBT policies and rhetoric to Benedict's death, and called for an investigation of the Oklahoma State Department of Education, as well as the removal of Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction. Walters has defended state policies and criticized responses to Benedict's death as politically motivated.

The Office for Civil Rights division of the U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into the Owasso School District on March 1, following a complaint filed by the Human Rights Campaign. On March 13, a summary report by the Oklahoma medical examiner ruled Benedict's cause of death a suicide.

On March 21, Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler assessed that the bathroom altercation was mutual combat and announced no juvenile charges would be filed in connection with the altercation or Benedict's death, and advocacy groups called for an independent investigation. On March 27, a full autopsy report was released by the Oklahoma medical examiner with a toxicology report, a description of Benedict's injuries, and a reference to handwritten notes describing self-harm found by Benedict's family.

Background

Nex Benedict was born in 2008 in El Paso, Texas.[1] According to Sue Benedict, Nex's grandmother and adoptive mother, Nex's biological father relinquished all parental rights early on,[1] and is in prison for abuse.[4] Sue raised Nex since they were two months old and formally adopted them a few years before their death.[5][6] Sue is enrolled in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, but Nex was not affiliated with the tribe.[7] Nex and their family lived in Owasso, Oklahoma,[8] a suburb of Tulsa,[9] on the Cherokee Nation reservation, and attended school at Owasso High School on the reservation.[7] The high school has 3,000 students in grades 9 through 12.[10]

In 2022, Oklahoma became the first state in the United States to prohibit the use of non-binary gender markers on birth certificates.[11][12] Students are legally required to use a bathroom that corresponds with sex assigned at birth,[5] and minors are legally prevented from receiving gender-affirming health care.[13][14][11][15] Legislation under consideration for the 2024 session includes new curriculum for public schools to describe gender as an "immutable biological trait", a ban on changing "sex" on birth certificates, and a requirement for school employees to use pronouns and names for students based only on birth certificates.[14][15]

Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, has implemented policies that include preventing students from changing the designation of their gender or sex in school records.[2][16][17] In January 2024, Walters appointed social media influencer Chaya Raichik, the operator of the Libs of TikTok account known for posting anti-LGBT+ content, to the Oklahoma Department of Education's Library Media Advisory Committee.[16][5][12] In 2022, an Owasso High School teacher, reported to have been "greatly admired" by Benedict, resigned after becoming a subject of a post by Raichik.[16][5]

According to Sue Benedict and Nex's friends, students at Owasso High School had been bullying Nex due to their gender identity for more than a year.[1][2][18] Benedict was a sophomore in high school.[1]

Altercation

Sue Benedict said she was contacted by Owasso High School on February 7 and arrived to find Nex with bruises on their face and scratches on the back of their head. Sue was also informed that Nex was suspended from school for two weeks.[5][1] On her own, Sue then took Nex to be examined at a nearby hospital[5] and summoned the Owasso Police Department at around 3:30 p.m (CT).[19]

Surveillance footage from the school hallway showed six students enter the bathroom where the incident occurred, before Nex and two students entered.[9] During 21 minutes of bodycam footage from Nex's interview with a school resource officer, recorded on the officer's body camera in the emergency room at Bailey Medical Center in Owasso at around 4 p.m. on February 7, Nex told the officer that while they were in the school bathroom, "I got jumped," and described details of the altercation, including that they "blacked out" while on the ground.[20][21][22][23]

Nex recounted being in the bathroom with friends when they overheard comments about their group from a group of three first-year girls that Nex had known for several days beforehand in an in-school disciplinary program and because of what Nex described as "antagonizing" conduct by the girls towards Nex.[21][24] Nex said they poured water on the girls, and then "They came at me. They grabbed on my hair. I grabbed onto them. I threw one of them into a paper towel dispenser and then they got my legs out from under me and got me on the ground."[9] Nex said they were then beaten by the girls, and lost consciousness.[9][25][23]

During the interview, the officer asked Nex why they had not reported the past conduct of the girls to the school, and Nex replied "I didn't really see the point in it."[23][21][26] Nex told the officer they told their family, and Sue said in the week before the incident, Nex described the conduct as "they're making comments, they're throwing stuff, they're calling us names"[23][20] and Sue told Nex to ignore the girls.[25]

The officer indicated it was possible the incident might be seen as "mutual" and Nex might also face charges if Sue pursued charges against the three girls, also stating, this "does not give [the girls] the right to put their hands on you";[23] Sue declined to pursue charges at that time.[9][22] The officer also said if Nex appeared to be injured beyond "scrapes" and "bruises", the officer could be contacted if seeking charges was reconsidered.[27][22][28] Nex was discharged later that day, and reportedly went to sleep with a sore head.[5]

Death

On February 8, the day after the altercation, while preparing to travel with their mother for an appointment, Nex collapsed in the family's living room. Sue called 911, saying that Nex's eyes had rolled back and they were struggling to breathe.[29] Nex had stopped breathing by the time emergency medical technicians arrived, and was declared dead at the hospital that evening.[5]

Investigation

Dan Yancy, Owasso Police Chief, has said that "no report of the incident was made to the Owasso Police Department prior to the notification at the hospital".[6] A search warrant dated February 9 resulted in the collection of 137 pictures from the school, two swabs of stains from the bathroom, as well as records and other documents related to involved students.[30]

In a February 20 statement, an Owasso Police spokesperson said school staff and students were being interviewed by detectives.[5] The spokesperson also said the police investigation would be provided to the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office to review for prosecution.[5][31] In a February 21 statement, Owasso Police wrote on Facebook, "While the investigation continues into the altercation, preliminary information from the medical examiner's office is that a complete autopsy was performed and indicated that the decedent did not die as a result of trauma"[5][32] and "further comments on the cause of death are currently pending until toxicology results and other ancillary testing results are received."[31][33]

On February 21, a police department spokesperson said hallway video from inside the school, showing Benedict before and after the incident, had been reviewed by investigators.[34] On February 23, the Owasso police released footage from school surveillance cameras, officer-worn body cameras, and audio of the 911 calls made by Sue Benedict on February 7 and 8.[29][27]

Nick Boatman, a spokesperson for the Owasso Police Department, said in a statement to Popular Information that the medical examiner had not explicitly said that Benedict's death was unrelated to the head injuries, and that the Owasso Police had reached out to the examiner's office in order to head off national scrutiny.[35][36] On February 23, in a statement by their attorney, the Benedict family said they were independently investigating Benedict's death.[37]

On February 27, Boatman stated to NBC News that the medical examiner's office had not ruled out the fight as a possible cause or contributor to Benedict's death. Boatman added that "people shouldn’t make assumptions either way."[38]

Federal civil rights investigation

On March 1, the Office for Civil Rights division of the U.S. Department of Education informed the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) in a letter that they were opening an investigation into the Oklahoma school district, and specifically "Whether the District failed to appropriately respond to alleged harassment of students in a manner consistent with the requirements of Title IX" and "Whether the District failed to appropriately respond to alleged harassment of students in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 504 and Title II", in response to a complaint filed by the HRC.[39][40][41][42]

HRC president Kelley Robinson had written to United States Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on February 21 to request an investigation of Owasso High School, and whether the school had "unlawfully failed to address the discrimination and harassment to which Nex was subjected."[43] On March 1, a spokesperson for the school district said the district is "committed to cooperating with federal officials and believes the complaint submitted by HRC is not supported by the facts and is without merit."[43][44]

March 13 Oklahoma summary autopsy report

On March 13, the Oklahoma medical examiner's summary report was released, citing suicide as Benedict's cause of death, and including a finding of probable cause from a "combined toxicity" of two pharmaceutical drugs: diphenhydramine (an antihistamine commonly known under the brand name Benadryl) and fluoxetine (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant known under the brand name Prozac).[45][46][47][48][49][50] On March 14, family members of Benedict released a statement through their attorney and said they had reviewed the complete autopsy report and did not want the ruling of suicide to overshadow other findings in the report.[46][51]

The Benedict family statement on March 14 also commented on injuries described in the complete report, and said, "Rather than allow incomplete accounts to take hold and spread any further, the Benedicts feel compelled to provide a summary of those findings which have not yet been released by the Medical Examiner's office, particularly those that contradict allegations of the assault on Nex being insignificant...the Medical Examiner found numerous areas of physical trauma over Nex’s body that evidence the severity of the assault."[52][53][46][54][55]

Following the release of the summary autopsy report on March 13, a police investigation was reported to continue into the school bathroom incident and whether Benedict was subject to gender-based violence.[47]

Kelley Robinson, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, released a statement after the release of the summary report that continued to call for investigation into Benedict's death, and said, "Nex was failed by so many and should still be here today," and expressed condolences to Benedict's family.[46] Freedom Oklahoma released a statement that said, "We have a responsibility to acknowledge the role anti-trans policies and rhetoric continue to play," and the summary report "only further emphasizes the state of crisis our youth are in."[51]

Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, released a statement that said, "The loss of our student in Owasso is tragic for the family, the community, and our state. The LGBTQ groups pushing a false narrative are one of the biggest threats to our democracy and I remain, more than ever, committed to never backing down from a woke mob."[47] Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond posted a statement on X stating his "heart is broken" by Benedict's death, and "The Medical Examiner's finding of suicide makes me even more concerned that bullying played a role in this terrible loss."[56]

In Oklahoma City, a march was held for Benedict outside the state capitol on March 14, hosted by the Rural Oklahoma Pride organization.[57][58] A co-founder of Rural Oklahoma Pride, Jacob Jeffery, spoke outside the capitol, and said, "The time for being silent is long overdue and we've had enough ... There's a lot of discrimination and harassment and bullying throughout our schools, our work place and our everyday life. We need to be more protected."[59]

Olivia Gray, a citizen of the Osage Nation and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Northeast Oklahoma Indigenous Safety and Education Foundation (NOISE), spoke to The Advocate after the release of the summary report, and said, "This kid may not have been on depression medication, but for that bullying. Even if it was a suicide, it probably wouldn't have happened without the bullying."[60] Gray also discussed concerns about the suicide finding being used by the school to avoid accountability for the reported bullying.[60]

On March 13, Oklahoma state representative Mauree Turner said, "Whether or not it was a suicide, the rhetoric that we share on this House floor, the bills that we write - not even the bills that we pass - but the bills that we write, have a very detrimental effect on the youth of Oklahoma."[61] On March 14, a group of Republican members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Marcus McEntire, Jon Echols, Jeff Boatman, Mike Osburn, Mark McBride, Tammy West, Mark Vancuren, and Lonnie Sims, issued a statement that included, "The tragic suicide of Nex Benedict is a harsh reminder of the power that words have."[62][63] Oklahoma House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson released a statement that said, "I believe Nex Benedict's death is a direct result of a society and government that consistently pushes back and restricts their identity and those of other LGBTQ+ individuals. To LGBTQ+ people grappling with this tragedy, we see you and we are doing everything we can to stop the harmful legislation and policies that attack your existence."[62][64]

March 21 Tulsa County District Attorney announcement

On March 21, Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler announced no juvenile charges would be filed in response to the altercation on February 7 or Benedict's death on February 8.[65][66][67] Kunzweiler stated detectives had assessed the altercation as mutual combat, and based on the evidence collected, he agreed with this assessment.[67] Kunzweiler also said police had found "some brief notes, written by Benedict, which appeared to be related to the suicide" and described the contents as "a personal matter."[65][67] According to Kunzweiler, the notes "do not make any reference to the earlier fight or difficulties at school" and the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office will not release the notes.[68]

After the March 21 announcement, the Human Rights Campaign renewed its call for an independent investigation.[69] The organization president Kelley Robinson described Benedict as being failed by their school and elected officials "who allowed a culture of bullying and harassment to grow unchecked."[69] GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis also called for an independent investigation.[70][71] Ellis also stated, "Everyone from Superintendent Walters and Owasso high school to the unaccredited-since-2009 state medical examiner’s office, the district attorney, and Owasso police department have failed Nex."[72]

Nicole McAfree of Freedom Oklahoma responded to Kunzweiler's use of Benedict's deadname, and said, "A statement that deadnames a trans victim as its opening sentence is one that clearly indicates the brand of justice doled out by DA Kunzweiler's office - one that does not include or respect Two Spirit, transgender, or gender nonconforming+ (2STGNC+) people."[69][71]

March 27 Oklahoma full autopsy report

On March 27, the Oklahoma medical examiner released a full autopsy report with a toxicology report, citing suicide as Benedict's cause of death.[55] Combined toxicity of Diphenhydramine and Fluoxetine was ruled to be the cause of death.[73][55] The report also referenced handwritten notes found in Benedict's room by family members that were "suggestive of self-harm."[55]

The Oklahoma medical examiner report also described several injuries on Benedict's head and neck, including two contusions, two small lacerations, two abrasions, and hemorrhaging on their right cheek and ear.[54][55] Other injuries noted by the report included injuries described as likely caused by attempted resuscitation,[55] as well as various contusions and abrasions on Benedict's limbs.[55][74] The report also states injuries to Benedict from the altercation on February 7 were not lethal.[55][74]

In response to the release of the full report, Kelley Robinson, the president of the Human Rights Campaign stated, "The full report does little to fill in the gaps in information about that day or the more than a year of bullying and harassment that led up to it."[54][75] Nicole McAfree of Freedom Oklahoma asked Oklahoma lawmakers to oppose anti-LGBTQ laws, and said "the very least we can do in Nex’s memory is demonstrate our commitment to building a better world that makes it impossible for this heartbreaking tragedy to happen again."[74]

Aftermath

Early news reports following Benedict's death on February 8, 2024 were limited and misgendered Benedict.[76] On February 16, Sue Kerr reported Benedict was non-binary in an "In Memoriam" post for her blog Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents.[76] The Los Angeles Blade reported on Benedict and their death on February 19, and more in-depth and widespread news coverage began on February 20.[76]

A national hotline run by the Indianapolis-based Rainbow Youth Project reported receiving over 200 calls from Oklahoma in the weekend following Benedict's death, more than three times the usual amount, with many mentioning Benedict's death, and most reporting having been bullied.[4][14] By March 7, contacts had continued to exceed the typical amount, including close to 1000 calls and online mesages after February 16.[77] According to Lance Preston, the founder of the Rainbow Youth Project, greater awareness of the services offered by the group contributed to the increase in contacts.[77]

In a letter to parents reported on February 16, 2024, Owasso Public Schools said it would be increasing the number of security personnel within the district, updating their safety drills and rules, and providing additional counseling services for students affected by the death.[78][79][80] On February 22, Owasso Police Department spokesperson Nick Boatman said that a number of threats have been made towards Owasso Public Schools following Benedict's death.[81] Boatman stated that the Owasso Police Department had brought in several other agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and FBI, as part of a statewide task force to track down the individuals who have made the threats. Benedict's family issued a statement asking that threats against school employees and students should cease.[81] They also requested that authorities take action in Benedict's case, and called for greater action to address school bullying.[81]

Vigils

Vigils honoring Benedict were held between February 23 and February 25, in various locations in Benedict's home state of Oklahoma, including Owasso,[82] Oklahoma City, Tahlequah, Tulsa, and Bartlesville,[83] as well as across the United States, including: Washington, D.C.;[84] Boston, Massachusetts;[85] El Paso, Texas;[86] Minneapolis, Minnesota;[87] Wichita, Kansas;[88][89] Huntington Beach, California;[90] and the Stonewall Inn, New York.[91] At a vigil held in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the rights group TahlEquality provided licensed therapists at the event, and the organization president told a local news station, "It's really hard being an LGBT community member in Oklahoma nowadays because suicide ideation and suicidal thoughts happen quite a bit" and that the LGBT+ community was mobilized in response.[90] Hundreds of people attended a vigil in Oklahoma City, where a speaker asked queer adults in attendance to raise their candles to identify themselves to youth in the audience, and said, "This is your family. These are the people who have your back. These are the people who made it through their teenage years and came out on the other side. They are the ones who are living healthy, good lives. You are not alone – do you understand? You are not alone."[92]

During the vigil in Owasso, some participants used masculine pronouns when referring to Benedict, and some friends later told NBC News that Benedict used he/him pronouns primarily and also used they/them pronouns.[82][83] At the Owasso vigil, one participating friend said, "I want to start off by saying that Nex was transgender, and he used he/him pronouns" and "He was so much more than his transness."[83]

On February 26, at least 40 students at Owasso High School participated in a school walk out, citing concerns about bullying and in support of the 2SLGBTQ community at the school and in the city.[93][94][95] One of the student organizers of the walkout, who is nonbinary, told NBC News in advance of the walkout, "To me, it doesn't matter if Nex passed from a traumatic brain injury or if they passed from suicide. What matters is the fact that they died after getting bullied, and that is the story for so many other students. I've been close to ending it myself because of bullying. It's not new for so many students."[46]

On March 6, about six members of the anti-LGBTQ+ Westboro Baptist Church group held a demonstration outside of Owasso High School for about an hour, which was responded to by several hundred counterprotesters organized by local and national organizations, including the Rainbow Youth Project and the Parasol Patrol, a nonprofit LGBTQ+ support organization that uses items such as umbrellas to form buffers between environments such as schools and anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrators.[77][96][97][98][99]

Reactions

On February 19, LGBTQ advocacy group Freedom Oklahoma released a statement describing the reported incident that preceded Benedict's death as "a possible hate-motivated attack" while acknowledging "a still incomplete picture" of what happened, and offered information about support resources such as the Trans Lifeline, the Trevor Project, and the LGBT hotline.[5][100] The group linked the death of Benedict to Oklahoma laws and policies, and related rhetoric, including statements by Chaya Raichik on her Libs of TikTok social media accounts.[5][101][78]

Chuck Hoskin Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, said on February 20, "The facts relating to Nex's death are not yet fully clear. The more we learn about Nex's life, the more we come to know a wonderful child whose experience and identity mattered and was worth celebrating. Above all, Nex deserved to live a full life."[102]

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ACLU of Oklahoma, and Lambda Legal issued a statement on February 20 stating "The assault on Nex is an inevitable result of the hateful rhetoric and discriminatory legislation targeting Oklahoma trans youth", and described the pending federal lawsuit filed by the organizations against Oklahoma Senate Bill 615, a law passed by the state legislature that required multi-occupation restrooms in public schools or public charter schools in Oklahoma to be for the exclusive use of either the male or the female sex, "as designated on individuals' original birth certificates".[103]

On February 20, Oklahoma state representative Mauree Turner, who became the first publicly non-binary U.S. state lawmaker in 2020, described Nex's death as "a direct result of a failed administration in a public school that didn't value the life of a trans student."[104]

The Congressional Equality Caucus said in a written statement on February 21, "It's more important than ever to stand up to anti-trans hate, violence, & legislation across the country."[104] United States Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona wrote in a statement on February 21, "I can't put into words the grief that I feel for Nex, their family, and their community...It is our responsibility to protect all students by creating spaces where they feel safe to be their true selves."[104][2]

The Human Rights Campaign wrote to U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on February 21 to request a federal investigation into the circumstances of Benedict's death, including a possible hate crimes investigation, as well as for the DOJ to work with the U.S. Department of Education to investigate the school district for civil rights violations,[105][106] and U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) joined the request on February 22.[107]

Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, defended Oklahoma's anti-LGBT policies in a February 23 interview with The New York Times regarding Benedict's death, saying: "There's not multiple genders. There's two. That's how God created us."[13][108][109] Walters also said, "I think it's terrible that we've had some radical leftists who decided to run with a political agenda and try to weave a narrative that hasn't been true" and "You've taken a tragedy, and you've had some folks try to exploit it for political gain."[109][108][110]

During a Legislative Update panel in Tahlequah, Oklahoma on February 23, which consisted of four Republican state senators, an audience member asked why the Oklahoma Legislature has "such an obsession with the LGBTQ citizens of Oklahoma and what people do in their personal lives and how they raise their children", and linked Benedict's death to "50 bills targeting the LGBTQ community". Senator Tom Woods responded that his "heart goes out" in regards to Benedict's death, and said Oklahoma is a religious, Christian, and moral state whose constituency "doesn't want that filth in Oklahoma".[111][13][112][113] Michael Stopp, moderator of the forum and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee, said the death was "terrible", but the media coverage was "blown out of proportion".[111] Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat responded by describing comments by Woods as "reprehensible and inappropriate" and "not in any way reflective of myself, the Senate Republican caucus, Senate leadership or the Senate overall."[114][112]

Protesters were outside a public meeting of the Oklahoma State Board of Education on February 23, and an Oklahoma business owner and local politician made comments at the meeting that criticized Walters, Raichik, and the board, including, "You and your rhetoric and your inability to do anything as a board here are partially responsible for emboldening bullies to jump a [student] in the bathroom"[115][116] and "I'm sure when I leave here Chaya Raichik will tweet my stuff out again and I'll get death threats again. That's who you brought into the room."[117] After the meeting, Raichik posted video and commented about the speaker in a post on her Libs of TikTok account, and the speaker later posted on Facebook about receiving threats by telephone.[116]

On February 23, Vice President Kamala Harris said that her "heart goes out to Nex Benedict's family" and that she stood with LGBTQ+ youth.[118]

At a vigil for Benedict in Oklahoma City on February 24, Nicole Poindexter, an associate regional campaign director of the Oklahoma Human Rights Campaign, discussed efforts to lobby against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, and said, "We told them that if they continued this rhetoric of hate, this rhetoric of division, that it would result in body bags, and I am devastated to tell you we were right," and called for Walters to be removed from his position.[13]

February 28 open letter to Oklahoma lawmakers

In a February 28 letter organized by the advocacy groups Freedom Oklahoma, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, and GLSEN, addressed to Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Charles McCall, President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate Greg Treat, Oklahoma Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd, Oklahoma House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, Oklahoma Senate Education Committee Chair Adam Pugh, and Oklahoma House Education Committee Chair Rhonda Baker, more than 350 local, state, and national organizations, as well as public figures, requested an investigation of the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the removal of Walters from his position.[119][120][121]

The letter requests an investigation "to determine what actions and policies have led to a culture where rampant harassment of 2SLGBTQI+ students has been allowed to go unchecked"[121] and states "Superintendent Walters' reprehensible conduct shows a willful rejection of his duty to protect the health and welfare of the children in Oklahoma's public schools and instead has created an environment that allows for hostility and harm for youth like Nex."[120]

Public figures who signed the letter include Kristin Chenoweth, Demi Lovato, Cynthia Nixon, k.d. lang, Jonathan Van Ness, Amy Schneider, Peppermint, Emma Roberts, and Tommy Dorfman.[120] Walters replied to a local news station, and described the letter as "a standard tactic of the radical left".[122]

March 14 statement from President Joe Biden

On March 14, U.S. President Joe Biden released a statement[123] that said "Every young person deserves to have the fundamental right and freedom to be who they are, and feel safe and supported at school and in their communities. Nex Benedict, a kid who just wanted to be accepted, should still be here with us today," and said that he and First Lady Jill Biden were "heartbroken" by the loss.[124][125][52][126] President Biden also said, "Non-binary and transgender people are some of the bravest Americans I know. But nobody should have to be brave just to be themselves. In memory of Nex, we must all recommit to our work to end discrimination and address the suicide crisis impacting too many nonbinary and transgender children … Parents and schools must take reports of bullying seriously."[125][126][127][124]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Benedict used they/them and he/him pronouns.[2][3] This article uses they/them pronouns for consistency.

References

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  124. ^ a b Yurcaba, Jo (March 14, 2024). "Biden issues statement on death of LGBTQ teen Nex Benedict, drawing attention to suicide crisis". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  125. ^ a b Yang, Maya (March 14, 2024). "Oklahoma medical examiner rules death of teen Nex Benedict as a suicide". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  126. ^ a b Mier, Tomás (March 14, 2024). "Joe Biden: After Nex Benedict's Death, We Must 'Recommit' to Supporting Trans Youth". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  127. ^ Collins, Michael (March 14, 2024). "Joe Biden mourns death of Nex Benedict, nonbinary teen who died by suicide". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
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