OKLAHOMA CITY — They marched. They cried. They shouted the name Nex Benedict.
More than 100 Oklahoma City students and dozens more adults gathered to honor Benedict on Thursday in front of the state Capitol, the origin of laws and rhetoric they said are harming some of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable youth.
The crowd chanted “justice for Nex” and called for an end to anti-LGBTQ+ policies and bullying.
Benedict, 16, is among the latest transgender or nonbinary young people to die by suicide after reporting bullying. The cause of the Owasso High School student’s Feb. 8 death was confirmed Wednesday by the state Medical Examiner’s Office.
“I think so many of us probably see ourselves in Nex,” Rep. Mauree Turner said in a tearful address. “I know I do. So, I think it’s really important to remember that even on our roughest days at the Oklahoma Legislature, that we have community that holds us and that keeps us safe.” […]
Click here to read to the full piece. This story was originally published by OU Daily on March 15, 2024.
