The tragic death of 16-year-old nonbinary high school student Nex Benedict has [led] to some difficult conversations – and alarming revelations – in my home state of Oklahoma.
Nex identified as nonbinary, and recently died following an altercation with other students in the Owasso High School bathroom. Details are still coming out regarding the case, and their cause of death has yet to be released by county officials.
It is deeply troubling to see members of a marginalized group targeted with violence, and the tragedy of a human life being lost makes my soul hurt.
Nex not only had to face the anxieties and difficulties of growing up as gender-nonconforming, they also had to do so in a state that has frequently criticized the very existence of LGBTQ+ people. That’s not a struggle I’d wish on anyone.
It’s also why the reactions to this story from Oklahoma leaders like State Senator Tom Woods have me feeling so disturbed.
I want to highlight a response he gave, because I think it’s a perfect illustration of an insidious force at work in Oklahoma (and around the country): the forced injection of a certain kind of Christianity into public life.
At a legislative forum, a constituent asked State Sen. Woods if he believed that the numerous anti-LGBTQ+ bills passed by the Oklahoma legislature (and supported by Woods) could have contributed in some way to the assault on Nex.
Woods gave a shocking response.
He said: “I represent a constituency that doesn’t want that filth in Oklahoma. You know we are a religious state. We are going to fight and keep that filth out of the state of Oklahoma because we’re a Christian state.â€
If you don’t believe me, audio of this interaction has been posted online:
I myself am a Christian. I go to church every Sunday. But Oklahoma is not a Christian state. No state is; that’s not how our system works.
Conflating religious beliefs with state identity and the operations of its government runs counter to the principles of religious freedom and inclusivity upon which this country was founded.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution explicitly prohibits the establishment of a state religion and protects the rights of individuals to practice their faith freely, or to choose not to adhere to any religion at all.
The notion of a “Christian state” carries historical baggage that cannot be overlooked. Throughout history, the intertwining of religion and state power has often resulted in oppression, persecution, and violence against religious and sexual minorities.
By explicitly endorsing a specific religion in Oklahoma, State Sen. Woods is advocating for a system that privileges members of that religion above all others.
Weaponizing the Bible to call the LGBTQ community “filth” helps no one. As Christians, we cannot handwave away violent attacks on the LGBTQ community, even if we do not agree with that lifestyle.
When people assert that Oklahoma – or any other state – is inherently Christian, they marginalize and alienate non-Christians.
Like many others, I worry about declining church attendance numbers, and I hope to see more believers welcomed into the fold in my lifetime.
But, no, Oklahoma is not a Christian state. And that is part of what makes America so beautiful.
This sermon deeply touched my heart, especially after I wrote “What the Hell Type of Therapy is This?” last week. I find it ironic that Mary and her younger sister’s parents moved to Oklahoma. Their parents probably thought they would be praised in Oklahoma for the conflated religious beliefs they hold. “No, Oklahoma is not a Christian state.” Nor are any states in the U.S.
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Alexis Acker-Halbur is an award-winning author and medical miracle. Child abuse made her seriously ill and put her in harm’s way many times. She survives and shares her experiences and tools with people who are or have been emotionally, physically, sexually, spiritually traumatized.