Content Warming: mention of suicide & death.

By now you might have heard the news about the Oklahoma medical examiner determined Nex Benedict's death a suicide. I was made aware this afternoon when I stepped out of the chamber & a reporter told me So, I want to make sure I name:

Whether or not it was a suicide or homicide - The state of Oklahoma absolutely is responsible for the death of Nex Benedict. From Ryan Walters, to school officials, to members of the Oklahoma Legislature.

When I walk into the chamber and there's a gaggle of troopers talking about me, I think about how Republicans have use every resource in their *power to make this place unsafe to Trans Oklahomans.
To Us. To Me. I think about how I'm asked if I'm delivering packages when I come to work in a building I've been an elected official in for 2yrs.

Or how I'll get notes on my car that say I can't park in the legislative parking lot because I'm not a legislator.

Trigger Warning: Death

Transgender Day of Remembrance is recognized on Nov. 20 to memorialize those who were murdered due to anti-transgender & gender non-conforming (GNC) hate or prejudice.

1/ Today, and everyday, we need to raise public awareness of the violence and hate crimes against trans and gender non-conforming people. This is how we build a future with all of our siblings in it.

2/

I saw this tweet thread on Instagram earlier this week. It's been on my heart & mind ever since, & weighting even more heavy today.

Please read it. All of it.
1/6

https://twitter.com/leahapalmer/status/1460634594957578250

I've been thinking about our lives over the past few of years, Oklahoma. I hope we don't forget easily that at every opportunity @GovStitt let us die or tried to kill our hope.

Health care services in rural Oklahoma vanishing, over 10K Okies we lost to COVID,..
2

The death penalty has no place in this world. To think people get justice by watching someone die lacks the sight of community care while highlighting 1 of the worst truths about our prison industrial complex - it's fueled by revenge & has nothing to do w/ rehabilitation. John Grant's murder has really taken a large toll on Oklahomans, myself included because we have been fighting against this system for so long.

We are up against folks whose 2 solutions for communities lacking resources is to either cast them away or state-sanctioned murder. 2/5

This statement is real rich in more ways than one. If you are paying attention please notice every time our governor makes a statement it's about a community he hasn't been in communication with & while using his power to further oppress us all. Sounds familiar..1/9

https://twitter.com/KOCODillon/status/1451208493470527488

We have a governor who is out of touch with Oklahoman's - he doesn't know what's best for us.

When we are sick & ready to get better we do anything we can to become healthy again, we stop putting ourselves in situations that harm our well-being..2/9

I think we all knew what happened today was coming, & if you didn't then you haven't been paying attention.

There are a number of things that led to the domestic terrorism that took place in our nation's capital today. 1/6 The things that encourage people to partake in these types of terrorism look like, but are not limited to, 70 members of a legislature sending a letter to the Arizona House Speaker to discredit their election results 2/6

Frankly put:

I've been defending my right to show up & just exist as a Black, Queer, Gender-Diverse, Muslim-American for just about my whole life to rooms full of white cis-het men. Today wasn't new, but the hurt is different - 1/ it's always different when there is so much more than just you on the line.

Colleagues I've sat in rooms with since November 2020 that told me they would be committed to the use of proper pronouns, learning, & growing together, voted against our existence. 2/