The death of Nex Benedict has sparked a series of protests and vigils nationwide, including on Whidbey, where allies and members of the LGBTQ+ community staged a protest in Oak Harbor and, most recently, on South Whidbey.

Benedict died on Feb. 8, one day after being attacked by a group of students in the bathroom at Owasso High School in Oklahoma. According to family and friends, Benedict, who used he/they pronouns, was bullied for his gender identity.

A recent autopsy report indicates that the 16-year-old died by suicide, although some people are skeptical of the finding.

Monday, a group of South Whidbey middle and high school students walked out of school and gathered on the side of Maxwelton Road, holding signs and waving flags to show support for their LGBTQ+ peers. They were joined by parents and adult members of the community, including Jasper Taylor, a young man who organized the March 2 protest in downtown Oak Harbor.

“I think it’s really cool that our youth here are taking action, making steps to improve things,” he said.

The South Whidbey walkout was organized by Leilani Floyd and Aryn States, respectively the president and vice president of the district’s Gender Sexuality Alliance, a group that provides support for LGBTQ+ students who are navigating their gender identity or are struggling with their mental health.

Since the return of the alliance — which was disbanded and brought back in 2023 — Floyd believes the district has been doing a better job of addressing reports of bullying.

“We’ve been seeing a lot of positive impacts with the students feeling more comfortable around the school,” she said.

In an email to The Whidbey News-Times, Superintendent Jo Moccia said students can receive support from the alliance, the LGBTQA+ club, the student advocate specialists from Island County and the Northwest Educational Service District 189.

However, Floyd believes there is room for improvement, alleging some vandalism to the alliance’s property and flyers being snatched on different occasions. Since a lot of the bullying happens on the school bus, Floyd said she would like to see a supervisor who can monitor discriminatory behavior during the commute. Floyd, a 16-year-old trans girl, alleges she has been called transphobic slurs on the bus, an experience other students have gone through as well. States recalled a recent argument with students who were bullying Floyd and making fun of Benedict’s death.

States is a 16-year-old nonbinary student from Oklahoma, like Benedict, and visited Owasso High School for a competition. For these reasons, Benedict’s death “hit close to home.”

Last year, States and their family moved to South Whidbey to escape Oklahoma’s growing hostility towards LGBTQ+ people. Over time, the student has found that homophobia and transphobia aren’t unique to their home state and believes the district should do a better job of addressing discrimination in the schools, alleging there have been instances where students were bullied and blamed for it.

“They pretty much just ignore it for the most part,” they said.

Justine Boin, Aura Smith and Loki States — three seventh graders — believe the staff has shown more support than their peers, though they would like to see more support from the district. Last year, Boin alleged, a teacher told the class that being transgender was a sin, an incident that Moccia wrote she was not aware of.

In her email, Moccia invited students to report these incidents, which can be done anonymously.

“We would address this kind of issue immediately,” she wrote.

B Hinesley is a nonbinary parent who moved from Oklahoma with their children — Aryn and Loki States — to find a more accepting community on South Whidbey.

Despite some issues, their children feel much safer in the district.

“They don’t have to worry about saying what their pronouns are, what their chosen name is, and they’re respected at least by the adults,” Hinesley said.

However, Hinesley believes it’s still necessary to move forward, teaching children how to tolerate diversity and providing LGBTQ+ youth with equitable support.

Jeff Stark said he joined the protest because he worries that despite widespread acceptance, anti-LGBTQ+ groups are becoming louder, even on South Whidbey.

Stark, who is married to a bisexual woman and has a trans son and a gay son, believes schools should create a safer space for LGBTQ+ students, particularly in the locker rooms and the bathrooms.

“It’s becoming harder for LGBTQ people to be safe,” he said.

In her email, Moccia said the district applauds students who speak up on issues that are important to them.

“While the district would prefer that this activism not take students out of class, their desire to be well-informed citizens of the world in which they live in is in line with our district’s mission, vision and goals.”

Photo by Luisa Loi South Whidbey Middle and High School students were joined by parents and community members of different gender identities and sexual orientations.

Photo by Luisa Loi South Whidbey Middle and High School students were joined by parents and community members of different gender identities and sexual orientations.