Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:32 p.m. on March 13 after the medical examiner ruled that Nex Benedict’s manner of death was suicide. Additional resources have been included in this story.
Norman community members will hold a candlelight vigil Saturday at Andrews Park for the 16-year-old nonbinary student who died in early February.
The vigil is in honor of Nex Benedict, who died on Feb. 8, the day after a fight in the women’s bathroom at Owasso Public Schools. On March 13, the medical examiner released its ruling that the manner of Benedict’s death was suicide. The vigil will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Candles will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis, according to a comment on Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant’s Instagram post about the event.
Nex Benedict struggled with bullying at their school for being nonbinary, their mother Sue Benedict said in an interview with The Independent. Following the fight, Sue Benedict took Nex Benedict to Bailey Medical Center in Owasso. They were discharged, but collapsed the next afternoon and were pronounced dead at the St. Francis Pediatric Emergency Room on Feb. 8.
A statement released on Feb. 21 by the Owasso Police Department indicates Nex Benedict’s death was not related to physical trauma, but the exact cause had not been determined. The investigation is ongoing.
Since Nex Benedict’s death, PFLAG Norman's Jerry Arias-Watson said the group has received a massive influx of emails and phone calls asking for a variety of resources, from mental health help to information on how to contact legislators about 2SLGBTQ+ rights.
Arias-Watson and Grant said the vigil’s purpose is to both honor Nex Benedict and spread awareness about 2SLGBTQ+ rights in Oklahoma, especially rights for trans youth.
“(The vigil is) for us to bring more awareness about the hatred that our leaders have right now towards our community and how it's transferring to the children,” Arias-Watson said.
The American Civil Liberties Union is tracking 55 anti-LGBTQ bills in the state, including 16 directed healthcare-related issues. Another 17 bills are targeted at education, predominantly for K-12.
Arias-Watson said PFLAG Norman will have a table set up with educational materials. He said he believes educating people on the topic will help 2SLGBTQ+ people find the support they may need.
Grant said education for allies, particularly parents of 2SLGBTQ+ youth, can go a long way toward improving the lives of members of the community.
“I feel like there are people in our community, parents especially, who want to support their kids, but struggle because they're human,” Grant said. “The world changes faster than some of us can change with it. Which doesn't make us bad people, it just makes us human.”
A study conducted by The Trevor Project in 2020 found that 52% of 2SLGBTQ+ youth enrolled in middle or high school were bullied either in person or online. A study published in JAMA, a peer-reviewed medical journal, found that transgender and gender diverse people have a higher overall mortality rate than cisgender people.
An Oklahoma law passed in 2022 requires public school students to use the bathroom associated with their assigned gender at birth. Another law passed in 2023 banned gender transition surgeries and hormone treatments for people under the age of 18.
The Trevor Project’s 2020 study found that gender-affirming medical care significantly reduced rates of depression and suicide in trans youth. A review of 23 peer-reviewed studies on the topic found that all included studies confirmed The Trevor Project’s finding.
A search warrant was issued Feb. 9 according to the Owasso Reporter, allowing police to search for DNA, blood, hair, fingerprints and collect various items like clothing, cellphones and computers allegedly involved in the fight.
NBC reported the Owasso Police Department will release footage from outside the restroom from the time of the incident.
According to reporting from The Hill, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-New York) called for a federal investigation into Nex Benedict’s death.
Nex Benedict's death is a horrific tragedy and cannot be allowed to go overlooked. I stand by @HRC in calling for a federal investigation into what happened.I fear a dangerous climate of right-wing anti-LQBTQ+ rhetoric played a role in the unjust end to a young promising life. https://t.co/ZWnwuUwgJ6
— Rep. Ritchie Torres (@RepRitchie) February 23, 2024
Nex Benedict’s death has drawn the attention of President Joe Biden’s administration, according to an article by KOCO 5.
“Violence in our nation’s schools is unacceptable. School should be a place where every child, no matter who they are or how they express themselves, feels safe and supported," a White House spokesperson wrote in a statement to the outlet.
Arias-Watson said he has struggled to emotionally process Nex Benedict’s death, but he wants young members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Oklahoma to know they are not alone.
“I feel angry. I feel vulnerable. I feel there's so much we can do, but not many people that want to do it or feel like they can, but it's going to have to change,” Arias-Watson said. “What I would tell the children is, … ‘You are the change. You are important. You are loved.’”
This story was edited by Peggy Dodd, Anusha Fathepure and Ismael Lele. Lily Grace Battles and Avery Avery copy edited this story.
