Our LGBTQ+ community and allies in Norman mourn the tragic passing of Nex Benedict, a Non-Binary (they/them) who died after a school fight involving a significant head injury in Owasso, Oklahoma on February 8, 2024.

Norman is no stranger to the consequences of harms visited upon LGBTQ+ youth and their families through bullying. We have worked hard as a community to overcome these adverse events and be proactive in how we protect the most marginalized among us, for example, as a City we banned conversion therapy*.

Norman-based policy makers will speak to strategies we can support and adopt that will help our LGBTQ+ youth and adults be safer, more resilient, and find resources to address the systemic issues that seek to do them harm.

We have a motto in Norman: "Building an Inclusive Community" and for the love of all that is good and pro-social we aim to just that.

Come out and join your Norman LGBTQ+ community and allies as we light candles to express our collective grief and stand in solidarity with Nex Benedict's family.

A statement on the GoFundMe by Sue Benedict, Beneficiary, reads:

"We at this time are thankful for the ongoing support and did not expect the love from everyone. We are sorry for not using their name correctly and as parents we were still learning the correct forms. Please do not judge us as Nex was judged, please do not bully us for our ignorance on the subject. Nex gave us that respect and we are sorry in our grief that we overlooked them. I lost my child, the headstone will have correct name of their choice. The rest of monies will go to other children dealing with the right to be who they feel they are, in Nex Benedict’s name. God bless."

GoFund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/dagny-benedict

Source:
https://www.fox23.com/.../article_a08a9600-d069-11ee-a555...

Source: https://www.normantranscript.com/.../article_c1ce9cc6...

Source: https://www.normantranscript.com/.../article_b5c50233...