“Justice for Nex Benedict: LGBTQ+ Advocates Demand Action Against Bullying at Oklahoma High School”

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A group of more than a dozen students staged a walkout at Owasso High School in Oklahoma on Monday in response to the tragic death of a 16-year-old nonbinary student who was assaulted in a school restroom and subsequently passed away.

Carrying signs that read “You Are Loved” and “Protect Queer Kids,” the students, along with LGBTQ+ advocates, gathered at an intersection near the school to demand action against discrimination and bullying targeting transgender and gender nonconforming students.

Following the death of Nex Benedict, who identified as nonbinary and used they/them pronouns, the students are calling for measures to ensure the safety and protection of all students. Benedict died a day after a confrontation with three girls in a restroom at the school, where they had reportedly been subjected to bullying.

GLAAD, a prominent LGBTQ advocacy group, issued a statement condemning the harassment and violence suffered by Benedict, stating, “Students and families are out in force today having to demand the basics: to be safe from bullying and violence. It is appalling and shameful that Nex Benedict endured a year of anti-LGBTQ harassment, then a brutal beating in the school bathroom.”

While the state medical examiner’s office has not yet disclosed the cause of Benedict’s death, preliminary findings suggest it was not directly related to the altercation in the restroom. Authorities are conducting an investigation into the incident, and any potential criminal charges will be determined by the district attorney’s office.

Communities both locally and nationwide have come together to hold vigils in memory of Benedict, highlighting the impact of their tragic passing.

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