Friend—This weekend, I attended a candlelight vigil in West Hollywood to remember Nex Benedict, a 16-year old nonbinary child who died after they were brutally attacked in their school bathroom in Oklahoma.

The killing of Nex cannot be overstated as an outcome of the anti-trans legislation & rhetoric that has been rampant in the past several years. Here it’s a direct result: according to Nex’s family, the bullying started after Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill that barred students from using bathrooms consistent with their gender identity.

It’s incredibly disturbing to say the least.

And yet, 50 more anti-LGBTQ bills are currently up for consideration in the Oklahoma Legislature.

2023 was the worst year for anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation in modern history, and in 2024 already 496 bills specifically targeting trans people have been introduced in state legislatures—including here in California.

This kind of horrific outcome is why we need LGBTQIA+ education and DEI in schools and work places, and why we must stop Republicans from introducing legislation that takes away OUR rights. 

The fact that elected authorities even have the audacity to waste taxpayer time and money on anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation emboldens hate and violence against our community. We will not tolerate this.

Yesterday, students at Nex’s school walked out in protest of bullying. The solidarity of many young people gives me hope that future generations will be kinder and more understanding of everybody’s differences.

Nex’s mother is a member of the Choctaw Nation, and members of the two-spirit, Indigiqueer, and Indigenous transgender communities have shown solidarity in mourning Nex.

The 2SLGBTQIA+ community is strong, and we will fight back against this cruel and wasteful campaign of hate.

Including at the ballot box just one week from today.

In solidarity,

Maebe