Indigenous and queer allies in Oklahoma are calling for solidarity and a stop to queerphobic policies following the tragic death of a gender-expansive teen. On Feb. 7, Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary Chahta (Choctaw) from Owasso, Oklahoma, was attacked in the girl’s bathroom at Owasso High School (OHS). They died the next day. Details surrounding Benedict’s death are still emerging, but Indigenous and queer advocates are uplifting the teen’s Indigenous identity following the disproportionate harm two-spirit and queer Indigenous people face. Organizers have also raised concerns surrounding the importance of tribal sovereignty with regard to jurisdiction in the face of alleged criminal acts.
“The loss of Nex is a tragic reminder that Queer Indigenous youth are not safe in the so-called U.S.,” said Steph Viera, associate producer for NDN Collective, an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. “Nex deserved a long life of joy, community, and liberation, and the world that we live in has completely failed Nex and every single queer Indigenous person.
Messages of solidarity have poured out from across the country and throughout Oklahoma. Chuck Hoskin, Jr., the principal chief of Cherokee Nation, offered the Cherokee Nation’s Marshal Service support to the Owasso Police Department as they investigate Benedict’s death.
“Trans justice is Indigenous justice,” said Maria Cherry Rangel, the director of advancement for NDN Collective, in a statement. “When we create freedom and safety for trans Indigenous people, we do so for all Indigenous people. It is our collective duty to fight for a world where trans, two-spirit, and queer Indigenous people—especially youth—can thrive and live full, beautiful lives.”
Rangel continued, saying that the violence is a direct result of the “right-wing war on trans people.” According to a 2023 Trevor Project survey, 29% of Indigenous LGBTQIA+ young people who have been physically threatened or harmed in the past year were harassed due to their sexual orientation, and 35% were harassed due to their gender identity.
“It is more urgent than ever for Indigenous communities across Turtle Island to make tangible commitments to protect and support trans, two-spirit, and queer youth,” Rangel said.
In Oklahoma, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters has been vocally against “radical gender theory” in schools. Oklahoma passed a ban on gender-transition care for minors last year. In 2022, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law a bill that requires students at public schools and public charter schools to use restrooms and locker rooms that match the sex listed on their birth certificates. The same year, the state was among the first in the nation to explicitly prohibit residents from using gender-neutral markers on their birth certificates.
“Nex was and remains a sacred member of this community—and we need not forget that in light of this senseless act of violence,” said Brandi Douglas, the creative project manager at NDN Collective. “Nex was owed laughter, joy, security, and the right to share the unique medicine only they could offer the world, which was their birthright. Let this be a reminder that our Indigenous, queer, trans, and two-spirit youth must continue to be protected, uplifted, and prioritized so that they may plant and sow for years to come, consistently reminded each and every second of their rare and beautiful existence.”
OHS has previously been the target of Chaya Raichik, a former real estate agent who operates “Libs of TikTok,” a far-right and anti-LGBTQIA+ social media account. In 2022, one of Raichik’s posts got an OHS faculty member fired after the teacher openly stated online that they supported LGBTQIA+ students in their classroom. Raichik has since deleted her tweets relating to OHS but is currently appointed to the Oklahoma Department of Education’s library media advisory committee. The school district is currently under investigation by the federal Department of Education after the Human Rights Campaign submitted a complaint against the school district.
“Nex Benedict’s death is an extreme loss to 2SLGBTQ+ community in Owasso,” said Christina Wiestner, advancement coordinator for NDN Collective. “Nex was a child who deserved so much more than the treatment that they received in life and in death. I wish I could say that the harm that surrounds the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Oklahoma is surprising. But if you haven’t heard the hateful rhetoric from the state’s leaders, then you haven’t been listening. If you haven’t heard of the bills targeted at trying to dehumanize 2SLGBTQ+ people through the Oklahoma State Legislature, then you haven’t been listening. The continuous erasure of 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans is not new—and it is on us to protect Indigenous queer and trans youth.”
