A 16-year-old teenager who identified as a non-binary person died Feb. 8, a day after being involved in a fight with three other students in the restroom at Owasso High School in Oklahoma. The death of Benedict, who had been experiencing bullying since the school year began, highlights the dangerous consequences of the state’s anti-LGBTQ laws.
According to family members, Benedict had been regularly targeted by other students since the start of the school year, facing derogatory and transphobic language as well as physical harassment. Despite this, the school took insufficient steps to protect Benedict and failed to address the bullying.
Nex, who used neutral pronouns and did not identify as male or female, was in tenth grade at Owasso High School. Nex had been involved in an altercation with three older girls in a school restroom and, according to family members, had hit her head on the floor during the fight. The fight was reportedly broken up by school personnel and other students, but Benedict struck her head against the floor during the altercation. Although the preliminary autopsy did not indicate trauma as the cause of death, the physical and emotional consequences of the bullying Benedict suffered cannot be ruled out. This raises further questions about the circumstances surrounding her death.
It is important to note that this tragedy occurs in a context in which anti-LGBTQ laws have been passed in Oklahoma, including one that prohibits transgender students from using bathrooms consistent with their gender identity. Bathrooms are used based on their birth sex. These discriminatory policies not only marginalize and affect the LGBTQ+ community, but also contribute to the violence and discrimination they face.
It is essential that action is taken to address and combat transphobia and discrimination in schools and in society at large. We must ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all people, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. We cannot allow tragedies like Benedict’s to continue to occur, let alone in schools where students are supposed to be formed as individuals.
With information from CNN