Bloomington-Normal community members gathered Wednesday night at a vigil for a nonbinary teen in Oklahoma who died earlier this month.
Nex Benedict, 16, who experienced bullying at the school they attended, was involved in a fight in a school bathroom Feb. 7. The teen collapsed the next day and was declared dead at an area hospital.
The school’s handling of the incident has come under fire, and speculation abounds on the cause of Benedict’s death as autopsy and toxicology findings are not yet public. It’s not clear whether charges will be filed. Police have said the teen “did not die as a result of trauma.”
An autopsy report released on March 13 indicated Benedict died as a a result of suicide.
Wednesday's vigil at Heartland Community College in Normal preceded Prairie Pride Coalition's LGBTQ+ town hall, also at the college, where people gathered to discuss recent legislative progress and future plans. Similar vigils have been held across the country in Benedict’s honor.
PCC secretary and District 87 school board president Elizabeth Fox Anvick said that in educational settings, inclusive spaces and caring gestures are crucial to support queer youth, advising allies:
“Show up. And that doesn’t mean show up in a grand way. But maybe just find someone and ask them how they’re doing and create a space where they feel like maybe they can talk,” Fox Anvick said.
Dave Bentlin, president of the Prairie Pride Coalition, said the leadership of school boards is a major factor in shaping whether students feel welcome.
“If you have a school board that has stated they are going to make this a priority, they are going to look to see that these kids feel safe in their schools, where they can be themselves, where they can be honored and appreciated for the individuals that they are, I think that that’s so important,” Bentlin said.
The town hall also featured representatives of advocacy group Equality Illinois and state Rep. Sharon Chung, a Democrat who represents parts of Bloomington-Normal. Chung pledged support for upcoming measures including a push for cultural competency training in the state judiciary, removing the requirement to publish individual name changes, and reforms requiring transparency from large nonprofit political donors.
Seven state lawmakers were requested to attend, of whom Chung was the only one present. State Sen. Dave Koehler of Peoria told organizers he could not attend due to a case of COVID-19.
At the end of the town hall, community organizers and business owners espoused a commitment to continue providing open spaces for queer people, including Hope Church, game store Red Raccoon, Inside Out Accessible art gallery, and many more. PPC encouraged use of its website, which includes a Bloomington-Normal Area LGBTQIA+ Business and Resource Directory.
