Biden’s statement says parents and schools must take reports of bullying seriously. In Nex Benedict's memory, he calls on the nation to commit to addressing high suicide rates among nonbinary and transgender children.
“Nex Benedict, a kid who just wanted to be accepted, should still be here with us today,” President Biden’s statement reads.
But in Oklahoma, the president’s words of support do little to change the harsh discrimination LGBTQ+ residents face every day, Benedict’s supporters said in a rally at the state capitol Thursday afternoon.
Benedict died last month the day after a confrontation with other students in a school bathroom. And despite the chief medical examiner’s March 13 report that Benedict killed themself with prescription and over-the-counter medication, the teenager’s family remains skeptical that the fight between Benedict and three girls at Owasso High School is insignificant to the cause of death
In a statement through their attorneys March 14, the family pointed out the full autopsy report says Benedict had contusions and blood in their right eye and cuts on their face. While non-lethal, the reported damage must be related, the family says. The full report is slated to be released March 27.
Outside the state capitol, demonstrators blamed legislation targeting trans youth passed by lawmakers in recent years. That includes the 2022 Senate Bills 613 and 615, which prohibit gender transition medical care for minors and require public school students to use the restroom that aligns with their biological sex. Both measures were signed into law by Governor Kevin Stitt.
So, some LGBTQ+ Oklahomans took to their state capitol to voice their anger to those whose words and actions affect them immediately: Their lawmakers.
Diana Lettkeman is a Navy Veteran and a trans woman who showed out wielding a rainbow pride umbrella in one hand and a trans pride flag in the other. She says state lawmakers should look to the U.S. Constitution for answers to the suicide crisis faced by LGBTQ+ Oklahomans.
“The Constitution was written for everybody,” Lettkeman said. “I took an oath to protect and defend it as well as they did. I fought for every right that everybody has. So respect our rights as much as you respect your rights.”
Her solution is simple: treat people like human beings.
Bryan Paddock, co-founder of Rural Oklahoma Pride, helped coordinate the event and led many of the chants demonstrators were yelling as they walked the perimeter of the capitol building. He said LGBTQ+ Oklahomans don’t just need change, they demand it.
“They seem to think they are in charge,” Paddock said. “They’re not. We are their bosses. They are making laws that represent all of us and they are failing.”
And until that change comes, the demands for rights for everyone will continue.
“The bullying has to stop,” he said. “This kind of hurt and this kind of loss has to stop. That means that our government needs to stop taking stances because of religion or because of their background.
“We’re going to continue to fight for our people and we expect change. Get on it,” he said.
