Sue Benedict, the mother of 16-year-old Nex Benedict of Oklahoma, would always tell her daughter to overcome the bullying she endured at school because she is transgender.
In a telephonic interview, Ms. Benedict remarked to The Independent, “I urged you to be brave and not look differently since these individuals have no idea who you are.”
“I had no idea it was getting so bad.”
Several months after Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt approved a bill requiring public school kids to use toilets that resembled the sex given on the birth certificates, the harassment had begun in force at the start of the 2023 school year. As per the Owasso Police Department, on February 7, just a few weeks earlier, following a “physical altercation” at Owasso High School, Nex had serious head wounds. This is when the harassment allegedly broke out in violence.
Sue Benedict informed that when she arrived at the school that day, Nex was severely assaulted, with cuts on the back of their skull and injuries across their face and eyes.
Nex informed her that they had gotten into an argument with 3 older girls in the girls’ washroom at Owasso High School, along with one transgender kid. As per their mother, Nex was knocked down during the struggle and struck their head on the floor.
Ms. Benedict expressed her rage at the school for neglecting to contact the cops or an ambulance. She claimed that after that, the school told her that Nex would have a two-week suspension.
She brought Nex to the Owasso Bailey Medical Center so he could receive care. After speaking with a police school security officer at the hospital, they were allowed to go.
According to Ms. Benedict, Nex had a hurting head when he laid down that night and finally dozed off while listening to music.
On February 8, while Nex and Ms. Benedict were about to leave for an appointment in Tulsa, they passed out in the family living room.