“O God, bless us with the foolishness to believe we have the power to change things,” Father Joseph Calderone said. In front of the Oreo, last Monday, Mar. 11, students and faculty members stood their ground against the merciless winter air to honor the late Nex Benedict. Benedict was a member of the non-binary and transgender community, who was tragically bullied by high school classmates for his gender identity.
Benedict was raised in Oklahoma, the first U.S. state to prohibit citizens from having non-binary gender markers on their birth certificates. Students were additionally required to use bathrooms that corresponded with their assigned sex at birth. Benedict was dehumanized further by constant bullying throughout his time at Owasso High School.
On Feb. 7, Benedict was jumped in the women’s bathroom by three female students. During the altercation, the girls knocked the back of Benedict’s head against the bathroom floor. Later that day, Benedict’s family took him to be examined at a nearby hospital, where he was treated for his injuries and sent home. However, on Feb. 8, Benedict was declared dead after an unexpected collapse in his living room, the cause of which still remains uncertain.
“Every day, the trans community loses more children to shame, homicide or suicide,” Villanova senior Dylan McMahon said.
Following a recount of Benedict’s experiences by junior Sonia Singh to begin the vigil, McMahon courageously detailed his own experiences growing up as a transgender community member.
Attendees devoted 15 minutes of silence to reflection while lighting candles, with each candle symbolizing beacons of light in the darkness of American society. After the candles were lit, Father Joe conducted a brief prayer for both the trans community and the nation at large.
Dan Griffin, a representative from Let’s Vote Nova, spoke afterwards to encourage students to take part in the upcoming elections. He urged Wildcats to vote for politicians who demonstrate a commitment to enacting policies that benefit all people.
Villanova offers many resources for LGBTQ+ students, including NATS (Nonbinary and Transgender Students), a social group on campus built to offer such students a supportive community. Additionally, the University Counseling Center offers short-term counseling, crisis support and LGBTQ+ support groups. Carly Cohen of the Office of Intercultural Affairs (OIA), which oversees Villanova’s LGBTQ+ advocacy groups like VU Pride, Oasis and QTPOC, is a primary contact for resources and guidance pertaining to Villanova’s LGBTQ+ community.
“My hope with hosting this vigil is to bring awareness to the legislative and physical violence that transgender youth like Nex are facing all across the U.S. right now,” McMahon said. “I want the community to know that there are trans people right here at Villanova, and that we are grieving.”
