At an Oklahoma high school, more than a dozen students staged a walkout on Monday in response to a tragic incident involving a 16-year-old nonbinary student. The student, Nex Benedict, was assaulted in a restroom earlier in the month and tragically passed away the following day.
As students and LGBTQ+ advocates gathered at an intersection across from Owasso High School, they held signs bearing messages of support such as “You Are Loved” and “Protect Queer Kids.” Their demonstration aimed to demand action against discrimination and bullying targeting transgender and gender nonconforming students, particularly in light of Benedict’s untimely death.
Benedict, who identified as nonbinary and used they/them pronouns, had reportedly been subjected to bullying at the school prior to the tragic incident. Their family shared that Benedict had endured a year of harassment before the fatal altercation with three other students inside a school restroom.
The LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD issued a statement expressing solidarity with the students and families demanding basic safety from bullying and violence. They condemned the reported harassment and assault endured by Benedict, labeling it as appalling and shameful.
While the cause and manner of Benedict’s death have not been officially determined by the state medical examiner’s office, preliminary findings from the police suggest that the death was not directly caused by injuries sustained in the altercation. Nonetheless, law enforcement authorities are conducting an investigation into Benedict’s death, with plans to provide their findings to the district attorney’s office for consideration of potential criminal charges.