By Andrea González-Ramírez, a senior writer for the Cut who covers systems of power.
Police in Oklahoma are investigating the death of a nonbinary teen who collapsed the day after a physical altercation with other students in their high-school bathroom. Nex Benedict’s family has said the 16-year-old was relentlessly bullied due to their gender identity and are asking officials “to determine why this happened, to hold those responsible to account, and to ensure it never happens again.” Nex’s death has drawn national attention as Oklahoma lawmakers continue to attack LGBTQ+ rights and pass some of the harshest anti-trans laws in the nation. Here’s everything we know about the case.
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How did Nex die?
Benedict told the Independent that Nex was discharged from the medical center on the day of the fight, and in the evening went to bed with a sore head. The next afternoon, Nex collapsed in the family living room. Benedict called an ambulance and by the time emergency personnel arrived at the house, Nex had stopped breathing. They were rushed to St. Francis Pediatric Emergency Room, where medical staff declared them dead. Their funeral was held on February 15.
No cause of death has been released so far. Police said on February 21 that a preliminary autopsy showed Nex did not die as a result of trauma. “At this time, any further comments on the cause of death are currently pending until toxicology results and other ancillary testing results are received,” the department said in a statement. “The official autopsy report will be available at a later date.”
How has the school district responded?
Owasso Public Schools has declined to share further information about the case, citing the police investigation and federal privacy laws. “The loss of a student, a member of the Ram Family and the Owasso community, is devastating,” a spokesperson said in a statement to the Cut. “We recognize the impact that this event has had on the entire school community and it is our priority to foster an environment where everyone feels heard, supported, and safe.”
What attacks are the LGBTQ+ community facing in Oklahoma right now?
Nex’s death comes after Oklahoma lawmakers targeted transgender and nonbinary people in recent years with several measures, including banning children from receiving gender-affirming medical care, prohibiting trans minors from using the school bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity, prohibiting the use of nonbinary gender markers on birth certificates, and blocking trans girls and women from playing on female sports teams. More than 50 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community are under consideration this legislative session alone, including a ban on gender-affirming care for adults, a measure blocking school staff from using a student’s preferred pronouns, and a bill prohibiting Oklahomans from amending their birth certificate to reflect their gender identity.
Last year, Republican governor Kevin Stitt also signed an executive order that defines an individual’s sex as the “biological sex” at birth. Superintendent Ryan Walters, who oversees the state’s public schools, has also been a vocal critic of transgender rights. He recently appointed Chaya Raichik — a far-right influencer who runs the social media account Libs of TikTok, which previously targeted a teacher at Nex’s school — to a state library advisory board.
