Silenced Montana trans lawmaker upholds stance in dispute

A silenced transgender lawmaker in Montana who was deliberately misgendered by some Republican lawmakers plans to keep trying to speak on the House floor Monday

A silenced transgender lawmaker in Montana who was deliberately misgendered by some Republican lawmakers plans to keep trying to speak on the House floor Monday despite Republican leaders insisting that won’t happen until she apologizes for saying lawmakers would have “blood on their hands” if they banned gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth.

Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr was silenced for a second day Friday as her Republican colleagues refused to let her speak on the chamber’s floor about a bill that would prevent minors from seeing pornography online.

House Speaker Matt Regier and his Republican colleagues have indicated they have no plans to back down from their stance, meaning the standoff is expected to resume when the Montana House reconvenes Monday afternoon at the Capitol in Helena.

Last year, Zephyr became the first openly transgender woman elected to the Montana Legislature — putting her among a record number of transgender lawmakers who began serving across the U.S.

The dispute started last Tuesday when the House was debating Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s proposed amendments to a measure banning gender-affirming care for minors. Zephyr spoke up in reference to the body’s opening prayer.

“I hope the next time there’s an invocation, when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands,” she said.

House Majority Leader Sue Vinton, a Republican, immediately called Zephyr’s comments inappropriate and disrespectful. That evening, a group of conservative lawmakers known as the Montana Freedom Caucus demanded Zephyr's censure and deliberately referred to her using male pronouns in their letter and a Tweet. That’s known as misgendering — using pronouns that don’t match a person’s gender identity.

Zephyr previously upset legislative leaders with emotional testimony earlier this session.

The bill banning gender-affirming care for minors is awaiting Gianforte's signature. He has indicated he will sign it. The bill calls for it to take effect on Oct. 1, but the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal have said they will challenge it in court.

Montana’s Republican-controlled Legislature is expected to finish for the year sometime next week.