President Joe Biden mourned the death of Nex Benedict on Thursday, a nonbinary teen in Oklahoma who killed herself following an altercation with other students.
As the Associated Press (AP) reported, an autopsy determined that Dagny Benedict, who went by the name Nex, died by suicide from a toxic mix of pharmaceutical drugs the day after a supposed scuffle with three girls in the bathroom at their high school in Owasso, Oklahoma.
“Benedict was seen by a school nurse but was sent home and police were not contacted until Sue Benedict, the student’s grandmother and legal guardian, phoned later in the day from a hospital emergency room,” the AP noted. “In a video released by police, Nex Benedict told police from a hospital bed that Nex had poured water on three girls after being mocked over ‘the way that we dress … All three of them came at me.'”
Nex Benedict died in the hospital.
In this frame grab taken from body camera video provided by the Owasso, OK, Police Department, an officer speaks to 16-year-old Nex Benedict on Feb. 7, 2024. (Owasso Police Department via AP)
Sue Benedict claims her grandchild had been bullied by students for over a year, and the U.S. Education Department has pledged to open an investigation to determine whether the school district failed to properly handle the alleged “sex-based harassment.” As noted by Reason magazine, the facts of the case offer a grayer picture than just mere bullying:
Nex, who was a 16-year-old sophomore, said three freshman girls with whom they had never interacted before had a problem with them and their friend “because of the way that we dress,” although the basis for that supposition is unclear. The specific impetus for the fight was the three freshman girls’ mockery of the way that Nex and their friend were laughing. “They had said something like, ‘Why do they laugh like that?'” Nex told a police officer. “They were talking about us in front of us. And so I went up there and I poured water on them. And then all three of them came at me.”
The freshman girls “grabbed onto my hair,” Nex said. “I grabbed onto them. I threw one of them into a paper towel dispenser. And then they got my legs out from under me, got me on the ground, and started beating the shit out of me. And then my friend tried to jump in and help, but I’m not sure—I blacked out.” The school district said other students and a staff member broke up the fight after a couple of minutes.
Police officers also told Sue Benedict that she was welcome to file a report, but they cautioned that the parents of the girls could also do the same.
“But I’m just letting you know, if the other party wants to do the same thing … the assault will be on her as well, because she first assaulted. She was the one who initiated it, essentially, because you’ve got freedom of speech … [but] the moment she threw that water, you’ve now assaulted somebody. You’ve made the first jab. It doesn’t make it right, but they defended themselves, quote unquote. You retaliated back. Now we’ve got this back and forth, when both parties had an equal opportunity to separate,” the officer said.
No police reports were filed. Nex, a biological female, had also been using the bathroom corresponding with her biological gender as prescribed by Oklahoma law.
In a statement on Thursday, President Biden called Nex Benedict a “kid who just wanted to be accepted.”
People gather outside the Stonewall Inn for a memorial and vigil for the Oklahoma teenager who died following a fight on February 26, 2024. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
“Every young person deserves to have the fundamental right and freedom to be who they are, and feel safe and supported at school and in their communities. Nex Benedict, a kid who just wanted to be accepted, should still be here with us today,” wrote the president.
“Nonbinary and transgender people are some of the bravest Americans I know. But nobody should have to be brave just to be themselves. In memory of Nex, we must all recommit to our work to end discrimination and address the suicide crisis impacting too many nonbinary and transgender children,” he continued.
After sending his condolences to Nex’s family and denouncing bullying, the president then addressed the broader LGBTQI+ community.
“To all LGBTQI+ Americans for whom this tragedy feels so personal, know this: I will always have your back,” he said.
“To LGBTQI+ young people across the country — you are loved exactly as you are. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or alone, you can call or text 988, the National Crisis Hotline, and dial the number ‘3’ to talk to a counselor who has been specifically trained to support LGBTQI+ youth,” he concluded.
Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.
