Courtesy of Tim Pierce at THE HILL NEWS.

Growing up, I was taught to never use the word “hate,” as it was overtly negative and a “strong word.” I was raised to not, under any circumstances, hate something or someone. I could dislike them or prefer not to partake in something, but hate was unacceptable. Hatred was a stubborn refusal to respect things or people that were different from me. Hatred was immature and beneath me, and I try to maintain this belief now as I enter adulthood.

With this understanding of the term “hate” in mind, I introduce the hate crime. As the U.S. Department of Justice states, “when used in a hate crime law, the word ‘hate’ does not mean rage, anger, or general dislike. In this context, ‘hate’ means bias against people or groups with specific characteristics that are defined by the law.” Any crime committed on the basis of the victim’s “perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability” is to be considered a hate crime.

This type of offense tends to have a broader effect than most other kinds of crime, as the victims include not only the crime’s immediate target but also others like them. Hate crimes affect families, communities, and at times, the entire nation.

For example, news of the brutal and vicious beating of Nex Benedict, 16-year-old non-binary student at Owasso High School in Owasso, Oklahoma, has spread like wildfire across the nation. According to the Human Rights Campaign’s Article “Honoring Nex Benedict, 16-Year-Old Non-Binary High School Student Who Tragically Died After School Beating,” written by Jose Soto, Benedict was taken to the hospital and released after the incident the afternoon of Feb. 7, only to be readmitted the following day.

It was then on Feb. 8 that “Nex succumbed to sustained injuries and tragically died.”

Their story has touched the hearts of millions of Americans, young and old, and of diverse backgrounds. One does not have to be non-binary to feel the pain of a hate crime committed by the very peers they should be able to call friends and classmates.

Benedict was a student like any other at an American public high school. They loved spending time in nature and watching the television show The Walking Dead in their free time. Benedict was an important part of the Owasso student body; they had a family, friends, and were worthy of kindness, respect, and LIFE just as any other human being.

Benedict is one of many victims of gender-based discrimination and violence in today’s public schools, contradicting the common assumption that society’s older generations are the problem – the one’s keeping the prejudice alive. Rather, it is the individuals rising into adulthood and roles of power that are instigating such extreme hatred and judgment. I watch in fear and horror as anti-LGBTQ+ bills – from educational bans on LGBTQIA+ centric content to non-consensual forced outings – are instated or reinstated back into legislation. What may be seen as a post on social media or a protest in some “small town” directly implicates young LGBTQ+ folks, especially trangender and gender-expansive people like Benedict. It is becoming increasingly more prominent across the country.

Hence, citizens of these minority communities are in growing danger as hate crimes become normalized. The intersections of racism, transphobia, sexism, biphobia and homophobia conspire to deprive them of the necessities to live and thrive as they are. It will take masses working together with a common goal to cultivate acceptance, reject hate, and end stigma for everyone in the trans and gender-expansive community. Central Hardin is and should remain a part of this mass.

Our public high school is by no means perfect, and there are various areas of behavior and respect that everyone should strive to improve on as construction and policy progress. However, I take immense pride in the acceptance our student body has fostered towards those of minority status.

With over 26 clubs and organizations offered at Central, there is a community for everyone to identify with. We have German Club, Speech and Debate, Earth Club, Young Democrats and Teenage Republicans, and American Sign Language Club just to name a few. In close correlation to gender-identity and sexuality acceptance, I want to highlight the Spectrum Club, as sponsored by science teacher Kimberly Gibson.

The Spectrum Club is an all-inclusive circle for students who identify as LGBTQIA+ and their allies. During their bi-weekly meetings, members take part in discussions, activism, and community-building activities. Gibson encourages “anyone who wants to help our school become more inclusive” to join.

Additionally, the recent Wellness Week giveaways sponsored by Central’s Youth Services Center and Dance Red, a dance-a-thon fundraiser for pediatric cardiovascular services and adolescent cancer care at Norton Children’s Hospital, instilled a new sense of participation across the Bruin community. Both events grew out of a desire for goodness and positive impact on the school and county we call home. I take note of the people who worked to make these things happen and all those who engaged; their kindred spirit does not go unnoticed.

Benedict will never have the chance to shuffle or slide across the dance floor at Dance Red, nor will they have the safe haven offered by Ms. Gibson for similar teens of the LGBTQIA+ population. These beautiful opportunities were stolen from them when a group of students beat them to death in the bathroom of Owasso High School.

I mourn this innocent 16-year-old who deserved so much better. I mourn for the LGBTQIA+ community as they grieve the loss of a member, and I mourn for the family of Benedict who will now have to watch The Walking Dead without the sound of their child’s laughter or gasps of suspense. Hate-crimes are tragic and by absolutely no means an overlook-able offense. I am grateful to know that the educational environment I reside in is not a catalyst of this vile behavior, but I yearn for the rest of the nation to catch up.

I want to gently remind all those reading that using hatred as a motive when taking action towards anything and anyone is never a good idea. Hate is a strong word, and its power will result in strong, detrimental consequences for those involved. Hate crimes are punishable by law and do not disappear. They leave ugly, permanent marks, both on your record and conscience.

So please, in remembrance and honor of Benedict, act responsibly and with caution, kindness, and respect towards others, no matter their circumstances. The pieces that make a person who they are are no less important than the ones that form you; they may be different, with divots and curves opposite to yours, but that makes them no less important to the puzzle they belong to. You cannot pick and choose what parts of the puzzle you want to solve if you wish to see a complete picture. Every piece matters, as does each person and their life.