Dear Friends,
It has now been 23 days since Oklahoma high school student Nex Benedict passed away. Nex (he/they) was a 16-year-old 2STGNC+ (Two Spirit, transgender, and gender nonconforming+) teen of Choctaw heritage. Nex suffered months of hate-motivated bullying and died one day after an attack in a restroom at Owasso High School.

Nex Benedict is the second known nonbinary person we’ve lost to violence in 2024, following the death of Kitty Monroe (she/her, he/him) a 43-year-old Latine transgender person who was killed in Arizona.

We’ve spent our days and evenings working to demand accountability for Nex’s death.

We’ve partnered with over 350 national, state, and local organizations and notable public figures to issue an open letter to Oklahoma legislative leadership, urging legislators to remove state superintendent Ryan Walters from office and investigate the Oklahoma Department of Education.

As long as I live, I will never get used to the emotions that come with talking to family members, attending funerals and vigils and the hard work of seeking justice for our lost community members. Especially when those we’ve lost are children.

This past Sunday, I traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to attend a vigil for Nex Benedict. The gathering was both heartbreaking and beautiful — the faces of mourners were lit by candles and the waning light of sunset, and we were unified by feelings of grief and justified anger. Together in community, we remembered Nex Benedict and the light he carried within. Nex played Minecraft and loved drawing and artwork and felt deeply connected to their family’s Choctaw roots. Nex also adored his cat Zeus.

The vigil reminded me — it is our love for one another that makes our grief so profound. Our grief and anger can sometimes crush us with its weight. Yet we can also transform those difficult emotions into fuel for our passion, our hope.

Let’s get #JusticeForNex. And for Nex, for all our children, let’s work for a better future.

Read my letter to Owasso Superintendent Margaret Coates.
Read my letters to the Dept. of Justice and the Dept. of Education.
Read our coalition letter from 350+ organizations and prominent public figures to Oklahoma legislators.
Add your name to HRC’s petition calling on the removal of Oklahoma Superintendent Walters.
Leave words of support for LGBTQ+ youth here.

We are also sitting with grief for the more than 100 Palestinians who died yesterday while seeking desperately needed aid and relief.

This is another stark reminder of the immense human suffering that continues to unfold right now in the Middle East, as the number of Palestinian lives lost reaches more than 30,000. We join the collective calls for humanitarian assistance.

The horrendous events in Gaza come on the heels of another distressing global headline. The Ghanaian Parliament's passage of the so-called 'Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Act' has sent shockwaves through the international community.

Anti-equality parliamentarians are attempting to criminalize LGBTQ+ people and allies and send our community back into the closet.

This hateful, Orwellian bill seeks to criminalize relationships, sexual activity and displays of affection between members of the LGBTQ+ community. It encourages the public to become informants against their neighbors and seeks to punish anyone who supports or advocates for LGBTQ+ people.

The bill, which the U.N. calls “profoundly disturbing,” has been passed by Ghana’s parliament and has been sent to the desk of Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo.

LGBTQ+ Ghanaians fear for their safety should the bill become law. Equal rights are truly under extreme threat in Ghana.

We stand with our Ghanaian partners and urge President Nana Akufo-Addo to immediately strike down this cruel, inhumane law.

Read our full statement here.

This week, we saw Mitch McConnell announce his decision to step down from his position as Senate minority leader at the end of this year. While his departure from leadership can’t erase the smear he left on our democracy, I for one am happy to see him go.

McConnell’s record of notoriety — which includes voting against LGBTQ+ equality, stacking the Supreme Court and allowing Trump’s dangerous behavior — has weakened our nation and undermined democratic values.

Looking forward, we need leadership that will represent us, promote equality and work to further all our rights. We need more pro-equality politicians working for the people, especially in the parts of the U.S. where homophobia and transphobia have taken root in the very seats of power.

Our children deserve to live in a country where their elected officials are building their futures, not tearing them down.

As we look ahead to a full election year, let this be your reminder to vote!

To put things into perspective, a 2019 HRC Foundation survey found that:

• Fear of discrimination, or experiencing discrimination, led 22% of LGBTQ+ adults, 35% of LGBTQ+ adults of color, 49% of transgender adults and 55% of transgender adults of color to avoid voting in at least one election in their lives.
• An issue with meeting voter identification requirements prevented 24% of LGBTQ+ adults, 35% of LGBTQ+ people of color and 42% of transgender people from voting in at least one election in their lives.
• 46% of transgender people of color said they did not vote in one or more elections in their lives specifically because their I.D. had an incorrect gender marker, name or photo.

A reminder: voting rights are crucial to maintaining and building on our other rights!

I hope to see this bill advance through the Senate and become law.

Read more on the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act here.

It’s officially March.

Daffodils and tulips are starting to emerge, and pretty soon, we’ll be in the thick of cherry blossom season in D.C.

It’s also Women’s History Month, and so I wanted to take a moment to look forward to celebrating the women who have moved the world and shaped our present.

Let’s take the time this month to thank the women in our lives who have inspired us and remember generations of women who fought to dismantle systems of oppression and move equal rights forward, for all of us.

Dear Friends,

As March unfolds, we’ve reached a pivotal juncture in the movement for social justice and equality. This time of year offers us a chance to reflect on our progress and acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead.

This week kicked off with the 9th Annual Welcoming Schools National Day of Reading, a vital reminder of the importance of inclusivity and support for transgender and non-binary youth. As we celebrated stories that affirm and uplift, we were also reminded of the systemic barriers and discrimination that too many LGBTQ+ individuals continue to face.

Recent state legislative sessions have been marked by a hateful surge in anti-LGBTQ+ bills, threatening to roll back our hard-won gains. From bans on LGBTQ+ literature to attacks on trans rights, these assaults not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes but also pose a direct threat to the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ folks.

We need look no further than the tragic death of Nex Benedict for a sobering reminder of the real-life consequences of hate. Nex had a whole life left to live, and today as we mark one month since their passing, we remain committed to pursuing justice without exception.

And just last week, the fight for justice took a powerfully important step forward. The U.S. Department of Education responded to HRC’s formal complaint and announced that they will open an investigation into Owasso Public Schools.

This investigation comes in response to concerns raised about the school's failure to appropriately address bullying and harassment, which may have contributed to Nex's death. Nex's story serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating consequences anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and policies can have on LGBTQ+ youth and the urgent need to address discrimination and violence in our schools. Still, the announcement of this investigation demonstrates the power of advocacy and the importance of holding institutions accountable for their actions. It is also a reminder that hope for accountability still rests in our movement.

And accountability is coming this November, as Super Tuesday’s results made crystal clear the extremism we are going to see on the ballot.

Tuesday’s contests across 15 states and the U.S. territory of American Samoa inched the nation closer to a general election rematch between President Joe Biden and twice-impeached, four-times indicted former President Donald Trump. At this critical moment in our history, the choice for leadership could not be more clear.

Dr. Maya Angelou said it best: ‘When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.” We do not have to guess how these two men would be as president; we know.

The Biden-Harris Administration has been the most pro-equality in American history, speaking out against anti-LGBTQ+ attacks across the country, taking actions to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, and signing into law the Respect for Marriage Act.

On the other hand, you have Donald Trump, who banned transgender people from serving in the military, fanned the flames of anti-LGBTQ+ hate, attempted to decimate democracy itself and has promised to go even further should he get the chance. This country’s future hangs in the balance, and the choice could not be clearer. It’s up to all of us to defend freedom, safeguard democracy, and send a message that equality wins. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have beaten Donald Trump before and it’s time to help them do it again.

We must also be clear-eyed that the fight for equality is found at every level of government. Individuals like North Carolina Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, with their hateful rhetoric and dangerous views, have no place in our democracy. Think about it. Mark Robinson has:

• Referred to being transgender and homosexuality as “filth” and said gays are equivalent to "what the cows leave behind" as well as "maggots" and "flies."
• Called straight couples “superior” to LGBTQ+ couples.
• Said transgender women should be arrested over bathroom use and suggested transgender people instead “find a corner outside somewhere” to go to the bathroom.

The hatred and cruelty is the point.

Now that his hate has advanced, it is up to us to stand up to bigotry and ensure that all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.

Finally, last night, President Biden laid out a vision for a more inclusive and equitable future in his State of the Union address. On every issue that matters to working families and communities who have been left behind or locked out of opportunity, President Biden made it abundantly clear that the fight for freedom is inherently tied to the struggle for equality.

A vision I share wholeheartedly, and one that we must all work together to realize. That is our charge and I’m proud of the work our team does every day to push progress forward.

Dear Friends,

The last week took us through a mix of challenges and triumphs. We began our week celebrating a successful weekend of events at the South By Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals. We held a featured panel discussion called “When Beer Goes Viral” featuring transgender content creator and actress Dylan Mulvaney, Walton Isaacson Founder & CEO Aaron Walton, and NBC News journalist Jo Yurcaba.

While we were focusing on the work to advance equality, extremism reared its head yet again with a despicable attack on social media targeting Chasten Buttigieg, a passionate advocate and cherished member of our community who shared remarks with us on a press call with Freedom Oklahoma, Rainbow Youth Project USA, and the American Federation of Teachers. This conversation marked one month since the tragic loss of 16-year-old nonbinary teen Nex Benedict, of Choctaw heritage, in Owasso, Oklahoma.

In the face of baseless attacks and transphobic smears, Chasten responded with grace and clarity, reminding us all of the importance of qualified leadership in education. His words are a reminder that we cannot let theatrics distract us from the truth. And as former First Lady Michelle Obama would say, “When they go low, we go high.”

Despite these challenges, we found a glimmer of hope in Florida, where Equality Florida, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Kaplan Hecker & Fink celebrated a historic settlement gutting the “Don’t Say LGBTQ+ Law”. This victory reaffirmed the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals to live and speak openly, demonstrating the power of unity against discrimination.

This week also brought us together in solidarity as we proudly endorsed openly LGBTQ+ State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta in his race for Auditor General of Pennsylvania. Malcolm’s historic candidacy embodies the spirit of progress and inclusivity that we hold dear.

But as we celebrated victories, we were reminded of the challenges still ahead by a sobering report from the Washington Post. The correlation between anti-LGBTQ+ state legislation and hate crimes quadrupling in schools underscored the urgent need for comprehensive protections and systemic change. We are committed to addressing this crisis head-on, advocating for policies that promote inclusivity and acceptance in our schools and communities.

This is a commitment reflected in our ongoing fight to secure justice for Nex Benedict. No student should ever endure the pain Nex was subjected to. Nex was failed by so many and should still be here today. We continue to hold their family in our hearts as they grapple with the devastating reality that their beloved child, a teen with a bright future, is no longer making this world a brighter place.

Nex died one day after being beaten unconscious in a school bathroom, and following more than a year of bullying and harassment at school. This is heartbreaking. And we have heard from so many parents and students that this culture of bullying and harassment is both pervasive at Owasso Public Schools and that many within the school had actual knowledge that it was occurring and took no steps to fix it.

We reiterate our call for a full and complete investigation. Young people in Oklahoma and across the country deserve to be safe and respected at school.

Unfortunately, we know that the epidemic of violence against the trans and nonbinary community knows no boundaries. This week, we also mourn the passing of Righteous TK “Chevy” Hill, affectionately known to his friends and family as “TK,” “Chevy,” and other nicknames. Chevy was a 35-year-old Black transman who used his presence as a community leader to push for LGBTQ+ inclusion. Understanding that many queer people at times feel uncomfortable in traditional Black barber shops, Chevy created Evollusion – an Atlanta-based full-service hair salon dedicated to serving the LGBTQIA+ community specializing in hair, nails, barbering, and makeup.

Tragically, Chevy was shot several times outside his home in East Point, Georgia on February 28th, 2024, and pronounced dead the following day. Chevy is the 21st transgender or gender-expansive person killed in Georgia since HRC began tracking fatal violence against the trans community in 2013—as with Chevy, 20 of these 21 victims were killed by a firearm.

Chevy’s friend, Derek Baugh, told HRC that “The loss of Chevy is devastating to not only the Atlanta trans community and his family but to the world. Chevy was a bright light whose mission it was to help others shine on their own.” We honor Chevy with our continued work to fight back against anti-LGTBQ legislation and rhetoric, pass common sense gun safety reforms, and cultivate acceptance, reject hate, and end stigma for everyone in the trans and gender non-conforming community.

As we look ahead, we find hope in the knowledge that we are not alone in this fight. With the support of our dedicated members, volunteers, and allies, we have the power to effect real change and create a more just and equitable world for LGBTQ+ individuals everywhere. Together, we will continue to push forward until every person is free to live authentically and without fear. Thank you for standing with us in this critical mission.

Friends,

The team at HRC celebrated some incredible wins this week – and continued to push for justice for LGBTQ+ people in the nation’s capital and across the country.

The tragic death of Nex Benedict in Oklahoma has galvanized our mission to create safer and more affirming schools. This week, we launched ”Remove Ryan Walters,” a 360° campaign to hold Ryan Walters accountable for his failed leadership and the dangerous rhetoric and policies that have left Oklahoma’s students feeling unsafe in the state’s schools.

As a part of this new campaign, HRC will continue to partner with local and state organizations and advocates in Oklahoma. HRC will also maintain an updated tracker called “Walters Watch'' outlining the steadily growing list of reasons Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters must go. And we released a new poll showing just how little support Ryan Walters has from Oklahoma voters – who want to see him impeached. Check it all out at RemoveWalters.com and encourage your friends and family to join the fight today.

And of course, our work isn't confined to state borders. We were proud to be part of the work to ensure Nicole Berner could make history as the first openly LGBTQ+ judge on the 4th Circuit Court. This barrier-breaking confirmation puts a judge on the bench with a clear commitment to equal rights. This victory should also serve as a stark reminder that the fight for progress and justice is won in every generation – and that our votes matter.

This week we also achieved a seismic win through our work with equality champions in Congress, who stripped over 50 vile anti-LGBTQ policy riders from the federal spending package. Extremist Republicans tried to legislate discrimination into law, with provisions attacking trans healthcare access and targeting trans students. Our HRC-led coalition persisted and defeated these malicious attacks.

Despite this resounding failure for House Republicans, media outlets have reported Speaker Mike Johnson is attempting to claim victory by touting a mean-spirited but limited provision that would continue to allow LGBTQ+ pride flags to be present in almost all cases at embassies except being flown over the exterior of the building. It poses absolutely no limits to other displays of a pride flag, hosting LGBTQ+ events or embassy employees’ ability to display Pride flags in their work spaces. Once again, the bigots tried to diminish us, but the facts don’t lie – they failed, and equality won out.

As we dialed up our fight for justice here at home, we grappled with heart-wrenching news developments from the Middle East. A UN study this week projected an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with half its population expected to face “catastrophic levels of hunger and starvation between now and July.”

The injustice of children dying from malnutrition while aid is blocked is unconscionable. The struggle for equality does not begin and end here at home – it is global.

The fight for equality and justice can weigh heavily on us all. Now more than ever it’s important to remember that joy is an act of resistance. And that political change doesn’t just happen in Washington or in the statehouses, it happens through culture and through changing hearts and minds in the media we consume every day.

We headed out to LA last week to join fellow warriors in the fight for freedom without exception.

For the first time in its history, the NAACP LGBTQ+ Committee partnered with the Human Rights Campaign and the Bayard Baldwin Institute to host the Without Exception Brunch in Los Angeles. Actors, agents, showrunners, industry executives, and equality advocates joined us in a shared space of joy.

We also attended the 55th NAACP Image Awards as guests of President Derrick Johnson, continuing to uplift queer voices of color.

And we also joined our friends at the GLAAD Awards, in community with icons like Oprah Winfrey and Niecey Nash-Betts as we honored queer visibility in media.

Whether reveling in our truth or confronting profound injustice, our path forward demands empathy matched with an unwavering commitment to justice. A truth that will energize us as we gather this weekend for the HRC LA Dinner to honor allies like Jean Smart, Sterling K. Brown and hear from educator and advocate First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.

I can’t wait!

Dear Friends,

Being seen for who we truly are is fundamental to living an authentic and fulfilling life. I know you feel the same way.

Yet all too often, our hate-filled opponents refuse to recognize our humanity — mocking, misrepresenting and violating our very personhood for their own political gain. Their hateful rhetoric promotes stigma, harassment and even physical violence against us. That's why the Human Rights Campaign works tirelessly to create and expand safe, welcoming spaces where we can live and thrive as our genuine selves.

It's also why we are doubling down in our pursuit of justice for Nex Benedict. Our staff was on the ground in Oklahoma ahead of a highly anticipated Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting, engaging in community and ensuring that state superintendent Ryan Walters would have to face the Oklahomans fed up with his transphobic and toxic leadership. We continue supporting Nex's family's calls for an independent investigation. We remain keenly focused on removing Ryan Walters from office for his abject failures and hate-filled rhetoric that endangers LGBTQ+ youth.

The struggle for justice in Oklahoma mirrors the battles we face at every level across the country. It's a constant push and pull of progress. But today, we celebrate a hard-won victory in Georgia, where our team on the ground celebrated the legislative session closing without a single one of the more than 20 anti-LGBTQ+ bills advancing. MAGA lawmakers made a last-ditch attempt to restrict freedoms for LGBTQ+ youth and families, but their efforts failed resoundingly.

The defeated Georgia bills aimed to enact broad religious refusals, bar trans students from appropriate bathrooms and sports teams, restrict LGBTQ+ education, further limit trans youth healthcare access and even restrict drag performances. Our movement stopped them in their tracks, and it is because of months of fierce advocacy, including February's "Pride at the Capitol" rally led by Georgians showing LGBTQ+ resilience.

Today’s development puts another victory in our corner but our work is far from over. This week, Idaho's governor signed the nation's first 2024 law restricting health care for transgender people of all ages — not just youth. It falsely declares this medically-necessary, best-practice care as "never necessary," contradicting all major medical organizations. It’s a stunning overreach and MAGA politicians in Idaho are playing outrageous, dangerous politics with people's lives. We must remain vigilant in pushing back on these malicious bills, bolstered by the truth that we represent the true majority.

Our lives and stories matter, and we have allies ranging from grassroots advocates to the highest elected offices to lean on — so we must remember that none of us make it alone. To reach a world where liberation is realized without exception, it’s going to take all of us doing what we can where we can to beat back hate and advance equality.

This weekend, we turn towards joyfully honoring International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31st. On this day, and all throughout the year, the Human Rights Campaign celebrates the resilience, courage and invaluable contributions of the 2 million trans, non-binary and gender-expansive people across the United States. The community comes from all walks of life and backgrounds, united in their diversity and our quest for basic human rights still being denied.

While we have made notable strides in visibility, the political attacks and horrific violence — especially against Black and Brown trans women — make clear how vital this day is. Today and every day, we must uplift trans and non-binary voices, combat the disinformation fueling discrimination and fiercely protect the dignity of our vibrant community. Though the path remains long, we go forth undaunted, inspired by the incredible fortitude of our people and steadfast in our commitment to building a world of equity, justice and authentic self-actualization for all.

And I want to end with a simple thank you. You make all of this, and so much more, possible.