Zooey Zephyr, Montana trans lawmaker, banned from state House by GOP
qvoicenews.comGOP lawmakers in the Montana House of Representatives on Wednesday banned the state’s only transgender legislator from speaking on the chamber floor for the remainder of the legislative session after she called out her GOP colleagues last week during a debate on access to gender-affirming care.
The stunning vote (with all 68 Republicans voting “Aye”) came after Rep. Zooey Zephyr, a transgender woman, told her Republican colleagues on April 18 that “If you vote yes on this bill, I hope the next time there’s an invocation, when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands.” The bill, which would ban gender-affirming health care for teens, was passed by the Republican majority.
Montana Freedom Caucus, a group of ultra-conservative legislators, released a letter that deliberately misgendered Zooey Zephyr and called her comments “hateful rhetoric.” Republican leadership blocked Zephyr from speaking in the state House on April 21.
House Speaker Matt Reiger demanded Zephyr apologize for the comments before he would restore her speaking privileges. Zephyr has said she has no reason to apologize.
