On Feb. 8, 2024, in Oklahoma, Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary student tragically passed away. The day before, they had been in a physical altercation with three students in a bathroom. According to their mother, Benedict had been bullied at school over their gender identity. Just months earlier, a bill had been enacted, mandating public school students to use the restroom that matched their sex at birth, not gender identity.

Members and allies of the LGBTQ community are heartbroken over the loss of Benedict. Many have rallied together to donate money, conduct vigils, contact political representatives, and check in on students and friends who may also be struggling with exclusion and bullying. Some individuals fear they may be the next targets. The LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit The Rainbow Youth Project reported a 500% increase in crisis calls the week after Benedict’s death.

While many mourn, conservative outlets such as the far-right Twitter account Libs of Tiktok have focused on the fact that Benedict’s cause of death and the previous day’s events are still being determined. Nitpicking about whether this tragedy was a direct result of gender identity hatred misses the bigger picture.

I was not present at Owasso High School that day, nor am I a coroner or journalist. However, I don’t need to know the exact cause of death to grieve for one. I don’t need to establish if this incident resulted from LGBTQ discrimination to comprehend the pervasive victimization faced by the LGBTQ community.

As anti-LGBTQ bills surge across the United States, so do hate crimes against LGBTQ individuals. Many legislators argue the need to protect daughters from potential harm by transgender girls, but research indicates that transgender people are four times more likely to be victims of crime than cisgender individuals. In January 2024, Utah Gov. Cox signed a bill similar to the one implemented in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, studies suggest that such bathroom restrictions escalate peer victimization and hostility. So, who are these bills truly protecting?

LGBTQ community members face a higher risk of suicide compared to their non-LGBTQ counterparts. A friend recently explained the elevated rates of depression, anxiety and suicidality within the LGBTQ community as a consequence of sin and turning away from God. I hope this misguided view is the minority, but I fear it resonates with too many religious populations.

Members of the LGBTQ community have an increased risk of being bullied, assaulted and rejected, even by their families. Research shows that members of the LGBTQ community have lower rates of suicide in countries where there’s less stigma, including less religious countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands. The Trevor Project found that LGBTQ youth who had heard their parents use religion to say negative things about being LGBTQ were twice as likely to have attempted suicide in the past 12 months than those who hadn’t.

I truly believe that school board members, legislators and religious leaders desire the best for our students. However, our policies must be based on evidence and compassion for every student, not just the majority. LGBTQ students don’t need the Ten Commandments posted in every classroom as proposed by one Utah representative. If lawmakers wish to integrate Christianity into classrooms, perhaps they can start by demonstrating love and inclusion. Jesus Christ outlined exactly how his followers could show their discipleship: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

LGBTQ youth with robust family support are much less likely to report suicidal thoughts than those without support. We can be that support. Even if our leaders believe that LGBTQ individuals are sinning and need correction, perhaps they can consider the wisdom from billboards for Naloxone (an anti-overdose drug), “No one can get better if they’re dead.”

Veronika Tait received her Ph.D. from Brigham Young University in social psychology. She currently works at Snow College as an assistant professor of psychology. Her words are her own.

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