Nex Benedict, a nonbinary and indigenous high school student in Oklahoma who passed away last month, was remembered by lots of University of Maryland community members on Friday in front of McKeldin Library.
Vigil attendees surrounded the Testudo statue with pictures, candles, and signs and draped a trans flag over the memorial near McKeldin Library. Benedict observed a moment of silence during the ceremony, as well as a number of statements that brought attention to stigmatization in schools.
According to the Associated Press, Benedict, a 16-year-old student, was involved in a physical confrontation with three girls in a bathroom at Owasso High School on February 7. According to the Owasso Police Department, Benedict passed away the following morning. According to the department, Benedict’s death investigation is still pending.
Their family reported to The Independent next month that Benedict was bullied because of their gender identity. According to the Associated Press, some LGBTQ+ rights organizations have pointed out that Oklahoma’s stringent anti-trans laws have resulted in more violence and hateful language directed at trans youth.
In a speech she gave, Celeste Good, the organizer of this university’s vigil, emphasized the impact Benedict’s death had on LGBTQ+ communities.
The master’s student in higher education, student affairs, and international education policy said, “It cannot be overemphasized that Nex was a child and that they had their entire life ahead of them.” It is essential that we stand up for and protect one another because all queer people are in danger.
Like Good, second-year crime and criminal justice and gender and women’s studies major Max Tubalov expressed disappointment with the rise in violence and discrimination against trans people.
In a speech at the vigil, Tubalov said, “I am tired and really angry and I don’t know what to do.”
Following Benedict’s passing, state legislation that forbids gender-affirming care or often targets trans people has sparked a national discussion.
A legislation that mandates all public school students to use the restroom in accordance with the sex on their birth certificate was passed in Oklahoma in 2022. Nonbinary symbols were prohibited on birth certificates in new state laws passed in 2022.
Numerous vigil attendees expressed distress as a result of their fear of violence and discrimination. Additionally, students emphasized that transgender individuals require stronger safeguards in schools.
According to Good, the rise in anti-trans laws in the United States has made it “hard to live.” In addition to a number of states, at least 12 states passed bans or restrictions on gender-affirming health care for young folks in 2023, according to a report from NPR next year.
The increase in such legislation, according to freshman physiology and neurobiology major Alex Robey, makes it unnecessarily challenging for trans students. According to them, trans people’s “existence is thus dreadful” because of the laws.
“I think policy really creates so many barriers to people trying to exist,” Robey said.
There needs to be action when trans communities are crying and mourning, Robey added.
People must be educated about trans issues, according to Lindsey Walter, a freshman microbiology major, to combat transphobia and assault. According to Walter, hate often comes from misunderstanding.
While the support system at the vigil was comforting, according to Walter, they frequently feel impotent in preventing stigmatization.
“Because I’m just one person, it actually hit me very hard. In this world, Walter said, “I don’t have that much power.”
This university provides support to students in Marie Mount Hall’s LGBTQ+ Equity Center and counseling for members of the LGBTQ+ group on Tuesdays through Fridays from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Shoemaker Building. Additionally, the Bias Incident Support Services provides solutions to individuals who have experienced hate discrimination on campus.
Despite recent increases in violence, Walter emphasized that LGBTQ+ people will continue to be resilient.
“Regardless of what you say or do, Walter remarked, “We’re going to get around.” “Accept us,” you say.
