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Aliyah Chavez
ICT
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan criticized Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Friday, saying he is “not doing enough” in response to the death of 16-year-old nonbinary student and Choctaw descendent Nex Benedict.
In an interview with ICT, Flanagan blamed Oklahoma lawmakers for enacting laws targeting 2SLGBT+ students, calling them “very intentional choices by decision makers.” She specifically cited a 2022 law, requiring students to use bathrooms that align with their gender at birth. The bullying against Benedict started shortly after that law was signed, according to Benedict’s family.
“I want to be really, really clear that there are consequences to policy,” the White Earth Band of Ojibwe citizen said. “I know there’s still an ongoing investigation, but I think one of the things we can be really clear about is that the system failed Nex Benedict.”
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Nex Benedict died Feb. 8, one day after being attacked in an Owasso High School bathroom. Owasso is a community of 39,000 in northeast Oklahoma near Tulsa. Nex was a sophomore who identified as nonbinary, which is an umbrella term for those who identify with more than one gender, no gender or having a fluctuating gender identity.
ICT will use they/them pronouns when referring to Nex, as their family has stated those were Nex’s preferred pronouns.
Nex’s grandmother, Sue Benedict, formally adopted Nex as her child a few years ago, after raising Nex since they were two months old. Sue is an enrolled citizen of the Choctaw Nation. She has been quoted saying her family was supportive of Nex’s identity, even if they did not always fully understand it.
On Thursday, two weeks after Benedict’s death, Stitt, Cherokee Nation, released a statement: “Sarah and I are saddened to learn of the death of Nex Benedict, and our hearts go out to Nex’s family, classmates, and the Owasso community. The death of any child in an Oklahoma school is a tragedy — and bullies must be held accountable. As we await the results of the investigation, I urge Owasso Police and Owasso Public Schools to be forthcoming and transparent with the public.”
Flanagan said while she is “grateful” for the statement, Stitt, a Republican, has “an incredible opportunity to correct these policies that make children less safe within a school building where they are every single day.” The Democrat encouraged Stitt to look to other states, like Minnesota, where lawmakers are making gender-affirming care more accessible to families.
Gender-affirming care is treatment administered by medical professionals that affirms the gender identity of the patient. This can include using the patient’s preferred name, pronouns, and medical or therapeutic treatments relevant to gender reassignment.
ICT reached out to Gov. Stitt’s office for comment Friday but didn’t get an immediate response. Stay with us for further updates.
Benedict’s story has garnered national media attention, prompting other lawmakers, including Vice President Kamala Harris, to offer their condolences. Others, including members of Congress and national 2SLGBT+ advocacy organizations, have called for a federal investigation into the tragedy.
As coverage continues, Flanagan encouraged the national media to report that Benedict has Choctaw heritage — saying it matters because of the disproportionate violence Two-Spirit people face, as well as the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives.
Flanagan plans to attend a vigil for Benedict on Friday evening in Minnesota. Others are being planned for Saturday, Feb. 24, and Sunday, Feb. 25, in Oklahoma as well as around the country. ICT plans to cover some of those vigils.
“Our work is not done yet until every kid, and especially every Native kid, is allowed to be their full, beautiful Indigenous selves no matter what that looks like … without fear,” Flanagan said.
“We will continue to fight for young people like Nex and ensure that their memory remains a blessing and that their death is not in vain.”
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