People attend a candlelight vigil for 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict on February 25, 2024 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Benedict died one day after a physical altercation in an Owasso High School girls’ bathroom.
J Pat Carter/Getty Images
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People attend a candlelight vigil for 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict on February 25, 2024 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Benedict died one day after a physical altercation in an Owasso High School girls’ bathroom.
J Pat Carter/Getty Images
Suicide rates for queer and trans people are disproportionately high. They’re also routinely targets of violence and hate crimes.
While some states have protections for queer and trans people, many other states have passed laws that restrict the rights and visibility of transgender individuals.
The stories of Nex Benedict and Dime Doe illustrate both those trends.
Benedict died by suicide the day after a physical altercation in their school bathroom. Benedict had been bullied by other students for more than a year.
Dime Doe, a Black trans woman, was killed in 2019. Last month a man who had been in a relationship with Doe was found guilty of killing her. It’s the first time a hate crime against a trans person was brought to trial.
What do these cases tell us about the lives of trans and queer people in America?
If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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This episode was produced by Brianna Scott, who also contributed reporting. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
