Well, you know, there’s been a lot of talk ’round here lately about what’s goin’ on in Oklahoma, and I reckon it’s somethin’ we all need to think about real good. You see, there’s been this big fuss about how the state, with all its laws and rules, seems to be lettin’ people get bullied. Not just any kind of bullying, mind you, but state-backed bullying, and that’s somethin’ a lot of folks don’t quite understand.
Now, you might be wonderin’, what in the world does 2STGNC mean? Well, I reckon it stands for “Two-Spirit, Transgender, and Gender Non-Conforming” folks. It’s a term for people who don’t fit into what folks usually think is “man” or “woman,” but they still deserve respect just like anybody else. Some folks call it a fancy word, but it’s just a way of talkin’ about people who ain’t just one thing, but somethin’ a little different. And there’s a whole bunch of people like that in Oklahoma too. They’ve been fightin’ for their right to live peaceful lives, without fear of bein’ hurt or mistreated.
One of the saddest stories I heard was about a young person named Nex Benedict. Now, Nex was just 16, but they had a whole lot of life ahead of them, so it breaks my heart to tell ya that Nex was a trans masculine and non-binary student. Nex got attacked in a school bathroom—can you believe that? A place where kids oughta feel safe, just tryin’ to do their business and get on with their day. But Nex didn’t get that. Instead, Nex was attacked, and not long after, Nex died. All because of who they were. That ain’t right, and it don’t sit well with me one bit.
Folks in Oklahoma, and all over, have been speakin’ out, sayin’ this kind of thing has to stop. There’s been a whole bunch of organizations, ones that support LGBTQ+ folks and 2STGNC folks, callin’ on the leaders of the state to stop lettin’ this happen. They say it’s time for Oklahoma’s leaders to step up and do somethin’ about the laws that seem to allow this kind of harm to take place. I tell ya, when laws get in the way of folks just bein’ who they are, somethin’ has gone wrong.
And, well, there’s more folks like Nex too. I heard about Nicole McAfee, who has been speakin’ up about their own struggles. Nicole says they’ve faced all sorts of discrimination and violence just for bein’ a Two-Spirit, transgender person. Now, if you don’t know, “Two-Spirit” is a term used by some Indigenous folks to describe people who might fit into more than one gender role, or don’t quite fit into the regular box. It’s part of the culture, the tradition, but these days, some folks try to take that away and make them feel like they ain’t supposed to be that way. That ain’t right either.
It’s about time we all start payin’ attention to this issue. If someone’s gonna be bullied, hurt, or even killed just for livin’ as they are, well, that’s somethin’ we all need to care about. If we stand by and let it happen, it just makes it worse for the next person, and the next, and the next. And if we want a better world for our kids, we need to make sure everyone can be safe—no matter how they identify themselves.
So, what can we do about it? First off, it’s gotta start with us. We can speak up when we see someone bein’ mistreated. We can make sure we’re not part of the problem by being kind to all folks, no matter who they are or how they identify. And, we sure as heck gotta make sure that our leaders know that this kind of violence and hatred ain’t welcome. That’s the only way we’re gonna make sure the next generation doesn’t have to go through the same pain.
Well, that’s what I think about it. Ain’t no reason for folks to suffer just for bein’ themselves. We’ve gotta do better, and we can start today, right where we are.
Tags：[2STGNC, Two-Spirit, transgender, Oklahoma, bullying, LGBTQ+, non-binary, gender non-conforming, discrimination, violence, Nex Benedict, Nicole McAfee]
