Editor’s note: This article mentions suicide, bullying and anti-2SLGBTQ+ stigma. A list of resources is included at the bottom of the story.
Nine community members spoke to a nearly-filled Andrews Park amphitheater adorned in 2SLGBTQ+ flags and anti-Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters signs to mourn 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict, whose death has spurred a national conversation regarding 2SLGBTQ+ rights and transgender bullying.
On Feb. 7, Benedict experienced a fight in the women’s restroom. Sue Benedict, Nex’s mother, said Nex was beaten to the ground by three girls who bullied them for the past month, according to Owasso Police Department body cam footage from Bailey Medical Center.
Following the fight, Benedict was taken to, examined and discharged from Bailey Medical Center. Benedict collapsed the next afternoon and was taken to St. Francis Pediatric Emergency Room, where they were later pronounced dead.
According to the Owasso Police Department, a preliminary autopsy suggested Benedict did not die as a result of physical trauma. The exact cause of death is undetermined and authorities are still investigating.
Saturday, a few hundred people gathered in Andrews Park to honor Benedict. Several cities and communities in Oklahoma have held vigils and memorials for Benedict since the days following their death. […]
Click here to read to the full piece. This story was originally published by OU Daily on February 25, 2024.
