Vigils held nationwide for nonbinary Oklahoma teenager Nex Benedict
Newsy
Vigils were held on Friday and Saturday at locations including Boston, Minneapolis and Huntington Beach, California.
Vigils took place across the nation on Friday and Saturday for an Oklahoma teenager who died the day after a fight in a high school bathroom in which the nonbinary student claimed to be a target of bullying.
Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old Oklahoma student who identified as nonbinary and used they/them pronouns, got into an altercation with three girls in an Owasso High School bathroom who were picking on Benedict and some friends. The girls attacked Benedict for pouring water on them, the teen told police in a video released Friday.
Benedict's mother called emergency responders to the family home the day after the fight, saying Benedict's breathing was shallow, their eyes were rolling back and their hands were curled, according to audio released by Owasso police.
Vigils for Benedict were held at locations including Boston, Minneapolis and Huntington Beach, California. Others were held or planned in several states including Washington, New Jersey, New York and Texas.
Kanan Durham, executive director of Pride at the Pier, said during the Huntington Beach event on Friday that "this single moment cannot be the only way that we honor Nex."
