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Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. Transgender youth shelter
2. LGBTQ+ safe space
The tragic loss of Nex Benedict, a nonbinary teenager from Oklahoma, has sparked deep concern and mourning among LGBTQ+ activists, lawmakers, and students across the country. Their death by suicide following a school altercation has raised questions about anti-transgender policies in schools. While Connecticut has strong legal protections for transgender individuals, challenges still exist for LGBTQ+ students facing discrimination and bullying. Advocates are calling for more support and understanding from state leaders to create a safe and inclusive environment for all students. Efforts to address these issues, such as parent-led investigations and advocacy groups, are ongoing to promote positive change in schools and communities. Support for families, especially LGBTQ+ families, is urgent in Connecticut. The state has seen a surge in bills targeting LGBTQ+ students, prompting advocacy groups to push for legislation protecting children’s rights. The “Let Kids be Kids” coalition advocated for bills requiring parental notification of pronoun changes and restricting transgender student athletes. Despite setbacks, the coalition remains determined to raise awareness and fight for inclusivity. Lawmakers have introduced bills to expand LGBTQ+ rights, combat hate speech, and protect students from discrimination. While progress is being made, advocates stress the importance of enforcing existing protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. Connecticut is often celebrated as a safe haven for transgender and nonbinary individuals, with a range of legal protections in place. However, many advocates believe that the LGBTQ+ community and those tasked with protecting them are often unaware of these protections. Matt Blinstrubas from Equality CT emphasizes the importance of educating communities on these laws. Mel Cordner of Q Plus highlights concerns about educators being uninformed about student protections, leading to potential misunderstandings and barriers for LGBTQ+ youth. LGBTQ+ advocates are working to address gaps in support and resources to ensure the safety and well-being of queer youth in Connecticut. “5 Effective Ways to Improve Your Website’s SEO”
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“We gathered together today as a community to grieve the loss of Nex Benedict, a beautiful 16-year-old child, and to try and make sense of what is absolutely senseless,” said Rev. Aaron Miller of Metropolitan Community Church in Hartford.
Benedict, who used both he/him and they/them pronouns, died by suicide a day after getting into an altercation with three girls in an Owasso High School bathroom, according to the Oklahoma Chief Medical Examiner. Their death has sent shockwaves across the country, causing LGBTQ+ activists to renew scrutiny of Oklahoma’s anti-transgender school policies.
Gov. Ned Lamont, one of more than 100 attendees at the Hartford vigil, vowed: “We’re not going to let that happen in Connecticut. That’s not who we are.”
But many advocates say state leaders could be doing much more to support Connecticut’s LGBTQ+ students.
Among state lawmakers, the debate is far from settled. Connecticut has some of the most comprehensive legal protections in the country for transgender individuals, yet for the past two years, Republican lawmakers have supported legislation the LGBTQ+ community takes issue with — for example, banning trans athletes from competing in school sports and mandating schools to notify parents when a child starts using different pronouns.
For a state often labeled as a “safe haven” for trans children, many LGBTQ+ students say they still face hatred in school based on their identity.
Surviving school
Ace Ricker, an LGBTQ+ advocate and educator, says “navigating” life as a queer person in Connecticut was far from easy.
Ricker grew up in Shelton. He came out as queer at 14 years old to his family but only told a few friends about his identity as a transgender man.
Every day in high school, he would show up with his hair in a slicked back ponytail, wearing baggy T-shirts and jeans.
No bathroom felt safe to Ricker in high school. At the time, he only used the women’s bathroom, where he says he experienced verbal, physical, and sexual abuse.
“The few friends I had, I was telling them, ‘Hey, if I go to the bathroom and I don’t come back in 10 minutes, come and check on me,’” said Ricker.
One year in high school, he opened up to his civics class, sharing that he was a part of the LGBTQ+ community. He said he thinks that led school administrators to assign him to what he called “problem student” classes.
“I was seen in school as a rebel or a problem,” said Ricker. “I barely got through graduating because through school, it was about surviving— it wasn’t necessarily learning.”
Ricker graduated in 2008, but stories like his are common among LGBTQ+ students in Connecticut.
Leah Juliett, a nonbinary activist who uses they/them pronouns, graduated from Wolcott High School in 2015. Like many trans and nonbinary students, Juliett originally identified as queer and later came out as nonbinary at 19 — the year they found out what “nonbinary” meant.
“I came out in high school. I was relentlessly bullied,” said Juliett, “My school binders were thrown in the trash and had milk poured over them. My school locker was vandalized on my birthday. I would get harassing messages and things like that on social media.”
Juliett says they were one of the few openly gay kids in school who not only had to deal with bullying but watched as local lawmakers proposed legislation to limit their rights.
“It becomes deeply hard to exist,” Juliett said. “I was engaging in self-harm, suicidal ideation. All of this is a result of not being supported by my town, by my community, by my peers, by my family— all of it.”
In recent years, parents of LGBTQ+ students in Connecticut have brought their concerns to the federal Department of Education.
In 2022, Melissa Combs and other concerned parents reported Irving A. Robbins Middle School in Farmington to the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights after school administrators declined to investigate an incident where students ripped a Pride flag from the wall and stomped on it.
Combs is the parent of a transgender son. During her son’s time at the middle school, she said he faced relentless bullying, where he dealt with students telling him to kill himself, getting called slurs, and was assaulted by a student.
Two years later, the OCR investigation is still ongoing.
“We entered into this knowing that it was going to take a lot of time,” said Combs. “We entered into it with the hope that we could make some positive changes to the school climate in Farmington.”
Since opening the investigation, Combs tried to reenroll her son in Farmington public schools, only to pull him back out again. She says not much has changed in the school culture.
“Events like this pushed Combs to take the issue up with the state legislature. Combs founded the Out Accountability Project that has the goal of “understanding” local issues affecting LGBTQ+ youth. She says she’s been having these conversations with lawmakers.
“I’ve spent a great deal of time in the LOB [Legislative Office Building] so far this session,” Combs said.
Overall, the tragic loss of Nex Benedict has reignited conversations about the treatment of LGBTQ+ students in schools across the country, including in Connecticut. Advocates are calling for more comprehensive support and protections for LGBTQ+ youth to ensure they can thrive and feel safe in their educational environments.
The law protects individuals from being discriminated against in housing, employment, public accommodations, credit and other areas.
“Connecticut has been a leader in protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, but the reality is that many individuals still face discrimination and harassment on a daily basis,” said Keitt. “We need to do more to ensure these protections are being enforced and that LGBTQ+ individuals feel safe and supported in our state.”
Advocates are hopeful that the current legislative session will lead to more comprehensive protections for LGBTQ+ individuals in Connecticut. With a growing sense of urgency to support families and children like Nex Benedict’s across the state, the momentum for change is palpable.
“What I’m sensing is not only support, but a sense of urgency in terms of supporting families — families like mine across the state,” said Wolfgang. “We must continue to advocate for the rights and protections of LGBTQ+ individuals, especially our youth, who are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and harm.”
Tragic Incident Shakes Connecticut LGBTQ+ Community
Connecticut, often lauded as a “safe haven” for transgender and nonbinary individuals due to its comprehensive legal protections, recently experienced a harrowing incident that underscored the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth in the state. The incident, which took place in a school bathroom, left many in the community reeling and highlighted the need for greater awareness and support for queer students.
Uninformed Educators and Legal Protections
Despite the legal protections in place, many advocates argue that there is a lack of awareness among educators and school staff regarding the rights of LGBTQ+ students. Mel Cordner, from the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Q Plus, shared troubling accounts of teachers misinterpreting the laws, such as incorrectly advising students on hormone therapy and name changes without parental consent. This lack of understanding can leave vulnerable students feeling isolated and unsupported.
When news of the incident broke, it sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ+ community, prompting fears and reflections on the safety of queer youth in Connecticut schools. Cordner expressed concern for the students who saw themselves in the victim’s shoes, highlighting the urgent need for better education and resources to protect and support LGBTQ+ youth.
Supporting Queer Youth in Crisis
The high rates of suicide among LGBTQ+ youth underscore the urgent need for community-based support systems. Organizations like Q Plus and Metropolitan Community Church in Hartford are working tirelessly to create safe spaces and provide essential services for queer youth. Pastor Miller, in particular, has been instrumental in offering support to transgender individuals facing crisis situations.
Miller’s church serves as a beacon of hope for many “medical refugees” who have fled hostile environments in other states. The community provides vital support, including housing, medical services, and emotional assistance, to those in need. By fostering a culture of acceptance and love, Miller and his team are helping LGBTQ+ individuals find a sense of belonging and support in Connecticut.
Empowering LGBTQ+ Youth
Q Plus, founded with the mission of filling gaps in LGBTQ+ youth programs, operates across nine towns and cities in Connecticut. The organization offers a range of resources, from support groups to professional development training for school staff. By advocating for the rights and well-being of queer students, Q Plus is working to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for LGBTQ+ youth in the state.
Ultimately, the message from advocates like Cordner and Miller is clear: listen to the needs of LGBTQ+ youth and provide them with the support and resources they require to thrive. By building a strong community network and empowering queer youth, Connecticut can continue to uphold its reputation as a safe haven for transgender and nonbinary individuals.
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