This week, we mourn the death of Nex Benedict (they/them), a 16-year-old non-binary Oklahoma student who endured a year of anti-LGBTQ+ bullying and harassment before being brutally beaten in a school bathroom at Owasso High School. Nex’s family took them to the hospital and, the following day, Nex died. There is a lot that we still don’t know about what happened, because neither the school nor the police have shared much information, but what we do know is this: the system, and those in charge of it, failed to protect Nex. Nex leaves behind a grieving family and a series of painful questions.

I am calling for a full investigation into the death of Nex Benedict.

Read my letters to the Dept. of Justice and the Dept. of Education here.

Read my letter to Owasso School District here.

Add your name to the petition to remove Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters from his position.

Nex’s death weighs heavily on my heart.

Every morning, parents send their children to school, hoping and praying that they come home unharmed and alive. As a mother, I keep thinking of Nex’s family, of how they must feel in this incredibly painful moment. I’m thinking of the other young LGBTQ+ students and their peers at Owasso High School, and at schools around the country. They must feel heartbroken, angry, and terrified. Nex’s family also trace part of their roots to the Choctaw Nation, and I’m thinking of the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) that all too often is ignored by local law enforcement.

I’m thinking of the LGBTQ+ community as a whole, and how we’ve seen this before.

In this tragic story, I see echoes of Matthew Shepard, the 21-year-old University of Wyoming student who was murdered because of his sexual orientation over 25 years ago.

I think of the Black transgender woman — known to us only as “Dime Doe” — who was murdered in South Carolina in 2019. Her death sparked the first federal gender identity-based hate crime trial, which is ongoing.

I’m reminded of the 32+ transgender and gender-expansive people whose lives were taken through violent means in 2023. Read their names and see their faces here.

These tragedies are the moments we are working every day to prevent.

In schools, LGBTQ+ kids like Nex are too often the target of bullies repeating hateful rhetoric. Nex’s family says that Nex was bullied for over a year due to their gender identity.

The Independent reported that this “bullying started in earnest at the beginning of the 2023 school year, a few months after Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill that required public school students to use bathrooms that matched the sex listed on their birth certificates.”

It’s telling that Nex was assaulted in a bathroom.

Extremist politicians, working to devalue and harm LGBTQ+ individuals like Nex, are also bullies.

The onslaught is exhausting. We throw around the phrase “in these troubling times” so much it’s become a cliche. Federally, and across so many states, far-right extremists are pushing their hateful agenda and trying to strip our rights and freedoms away.

On the Supreme Court, Justice Alito is once again criticizing the legalization of marriage for same-sex couples, and pushing for bigotry over equality.

Alabamans are shocked and angry at a state Supreme Court ruling that determined embryos in a petri dish are “extrauterine children.” While this is a logical and predicted (including by us) outcome of Roe v. Wade being overturned, the decision shows how out of touch our opposition is with reality — and whose life, precisely, is of value to them. This move is especially devastating for people who wish to grow their families through IVF.

Last year, we declared a State of Emergency for the LGBTQ+ community in response to 550+ anti-LGBTQ+ bills in state legislatures. Seventy-seven of those bills were signed into law.

This year, we’ve already seen 400+ pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation introduced, many of which target trans kids and families.

But we are fighting back.

Every day, we look into the face of despair, and choose hope instead. Hope isn’t an idea, it’s an action.

Nex Benedict had dreams and passions. Nex had the right to dignity, respect and life. Nex was a vibrant, beloved non-binary kid. Nex readily embraced their Choctaw heritage and adored their cat, Zeus. Like many other kids, Nex enjoyed exploring and creating in the geometric world of Minecraft.

“Nex had a light in them that was so big, they had so many dreams,” their mother told The Independent. “I want their light to keep shining for everyone. That light was so big and bright and beautiful, and I want everyone to remember Nex that way.”

Let’s give Nex a legacy they could be proud of. Let’s work together to achieve equality, to protect our kids, to build a world where LGBTQ+ people live fearlessly.

Together, we demand #JusticeForNex.

The Kansas City Chiefs may have won the Super Bowl this past weekend, but we all won when Beyoncé announced a country-styled continuation of her groundbreaking Renaissance album. We got two single releases as a preview of Part II — you already know that I’m adding them to the karaoke rotation.

Unfortunately, our celebration was cut short when yet another instance of gun violence broke out at the Chiefs’ victory parade.

Many of our celebrations and gatherings these days are clouded by fear and despair as we confront the epidemic of gun violence that has claimed lives and shattered communities across America.

Six years to the day after a gunman took the lives of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, yet another heartbreaking, unacceptable mass shooting took place. As Chiefs fans filled the streets, gunshots terrified and wounded a crowd of fans. More than 20 people were injured, and one woman was killed.

My heart broke reading the words of Fred Guttenberg, who lost his young daughter Jaime in the Parkland school shooting: “Just got home from the cemetery where I spent Valentine's Day with my daughter who was shot and killed 6 years ago. Coming home to this news is crushing.”

We all deserve to live in a country where we don’t live in fear of gun violence or hatred. We must push for better.

Before moving into HRC’s big updates for the week, I wanted to take a little space to talk about how interconnected Black and LGBTQ+ history are to music history.

It’s incredibly fitting that Beyoncé chose to announce her album now, during Black History Month. Renaissance had us on our feet singing and dancing with its disco/house beats, but more importantly, it uplifted the story of the Black queer ballroom community, with shoutouts to drag legends like Kevin Aviance. Part I is an homage to Uncle Johnny, “the most fabulous gay man [Beyoncé] ever met,” so I’m excited to see who Part II celebrates. After all, Black artists were influential in shaping Country as a genre. It’s a history that deserves to be remembered.

The results are in for 2024’s first election.

Equality Voters in New York braved the cold and snowy day to head to the polls, and I am proud of their efforts.

In a victory for democracy, Tom Suozzi won New York District 3’s special election — and we are now one step closer to securing a pro-equality majority in the House!

Tell a family member, tell a friend: when we vote, when our voices are heard, we are helping build a better future. Let’s carry this energy forward through the rest of this election year.

This week, we learned new information about how Black LGBTQ+ youth experience the world.

Over 1,200 Black LGBTQ+ youth shared insights into how their intersecting identities create unique challenges and impact their mental health and wellbeing.

We’ve collected our findings into a report that reveals ongoing trends and unveils specific issues that Black LGBTQ+ youth face. Here are a few takeaways:

• 74.8% of Black LGBTQ+ youth and 78.2% of Black transgender and gender-expansive youth have experienced racism in the LGBTQ+ community.
• 80.9% of Black LGBTQ+ youth and 83.5% of Black transgender/gender-expansive youth say they have experienced homophobia or transphobia in the Black community.
• 46.5% of Black LGBTQ+ youth wanted therapy but could not receive it.

Through this report, what we already know becomes increasingly clear: Black LGBTQ+ youth face disproportionate levels of adversity in their daily lives. There’s so much room for improvement! I hope that the data that this report provides will open more conversations about how we can better support the younger generations.

Read the Black LGBTQ+ Youth Report here.

I want to leave you with some joyful news to carry you into this long weekend.

This good news comes to us from the birthplace of the most famous ancient Lesbian luminary herself, the poet Sappho. That’s right, same-sex marriage and adoption have been legalized in Greece!

This landmark victory will be life-changing for so many living right now and for generations to come. Congratulations (and opa!) to all the LGBTQ+ Greeks who will now be able to legally celebrate their love and grow their families through adoption. I hope that this historical moment inspires other countries to follow suit.

We’ve had the momentous and satisfying opportunity to update one of our resources, our global atlas of marriage equality. Check out the updated map and its details here.

Looking at this map fills me with hope.

I hope that it will quickly become outdated as countries amend their laws to uplift equality. I also hope that one day, this map will be nothing more than a historical artifact in an equal and accepting world, used to teach students about our fight for their better future.

Friends,

It’s been quite the eventful week — and I’m still riding the highs of the Grammys last weekend. Joni Mitchell took home her 10th Grammy for best folk album; Billie Eilish won Song Of The Year with "What Was I Made For," and of course, the iconic Tracy Chapman joined Luke Combs for a heartwarming surprise performance of “Fast Car,” a song I’ve been humming all week. If you haven’t caught Tracy Chapman’s performance, please do yourself a favor!

I’d like to take some space to remember a guiding light in the fight for trans rights: Cecilia Gentili, who passed away this week. She had just celebrated her 52nd birthday.

Cecilia was a skilled actress, a much-beloved voice within the trans community and fought the Trump administration’s discriminatory healthcare rule in a case HRC brought in 2020. She was also a steadfast advocate for the rights of undocumented immigrants and sex workers. An asylum seeker herself, Cecilia grew up under Argentina’s fascist dictatorship during its “Dirty War” and came out in 1984. She founded Trans Equity Consulting and worked with numerous LGBTQ+ organizations, including The Center in New York City. A journalist and author, she advocated to end transphobia in journalism. She was a founding member of the sex worker aid coalition Decrim NY, which works to destigmatize and decriminalize sex work. Cecilia was also a talented artist and producer whose work ranged from books and plays to trans music festivals and television — you may recognize her as Ms. Orlando in Pose. A true creative who was always true to herself, Cecilia transformed her own life and the lives of everyone around her for the better.

Rest in Power, Cecilia Gentili.

I also want to note that the horrific humanitarian crisis and deaths in Gaza continue to weigh heavily on my heart, as well the increase in violence and extremism against Muslim, Jewish and Arab communities here in the United States. Just this week in Texas, Palestinian-American Zacharia Doar was dragged out of a car and stabbed in what has been deemed a hate crime after he attended a protest in support of Gaza.

As hate and extremism rise, and we experience attacks on democracy itself, we must continue to push back.

On Thursday, I was honored to kick off Black History Month by speaking with the Congressional Black Caucus. I joined legislators to emphasize the importance of fighting for equality as we look towards scoring victories in 2024.

This morning, I spoke at a Power Rising plenary in Philly along with panelists Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley, Dr. Fatima Goss Graves, Andrea Joy Campbell and moderator Symone D. Sanders-Townsend. Power Rising is an organization and event series that empowers Black women to raise our hands and our voices. With Black History Month in full swing, and a full year of election and legislative battles ahead of us, this panel was incredibly timely.

I highlighted critical issues that LGBTQ+ Black women in particular face. For example, in HRC’s 2023 report on fatal violence against the transgender and non-binary communities, half of the victims recorded were Black trans women. This violence that our transgender and non-binary friends and loved ones face is disturbing and reveals how far we still have to go.

As a Black queer woman, I know all too well that our struggles for equal rights are interlinked. All communities deserve freedom and equality, and we are best served when we join together to support one another.

This week, we also observed National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This day recognizes the ways the HIV epidemic disproportionately affects LGBTQ+ communities of color. I urge everyone to participate in regular testing and destigmatize treatment — and to encourage those around you to prioritize their health as well. Together, finally, we can be the generation to end this epidemic.

Last weekend, over 1,000 advocates and supporters attended the Greater New York Dinner. Actor Colman Domingo, actress Trace Lysette, and Macy’s Inc. Chairman & CEO Jeff Gennette were honored for their contributions to the LGBTQ+ community. Special guests also included Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Queer as Folk actor Johnny Sibilly, and comedian Dana Goldberg.

On Sunday, I was proud to join dozens of dedicated HRC volunteers on the ground in New York, knocking on doors to get out the vote.

February 13th marks the first of many elections in 2024. We’re fighting hard for NY-3, where our team has been working to mobilize and energize Equality Voters. This special election will replace expelled former representative and Cameo personality George Santos.

Unlike Santos, Tom Suozzi is a serious candidate — someone who will build a sincere action plan to assist his constituents and promote equal rights. Suozzi has faithfully served the people of Long Island and Queens and is the experienced leader this community needs.

Read HRC’s full endorsement here.

Looking ahead, this year will be full of daunting battles — and equality is on the ballot. While the stakes are very high, take a breath and remember that together, we can fight and win. Let’s get out the vote… “Together we can get somewhere”!