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As it happens6:04 a.mMontana Republicans will not allow this trans lawmaker to speak in the legislature
Rep. Zooey Zephyr Montana said Republicans tried to keep him from speaking in the state legislature “which is inherently undemocratic.”
Zephyr, a Democrat, has been barred from speaking on any bill in the Montana Legislature until he apologized for saying lawmakers would have “blood on their hands” if they supported a bill to ban gender-affirming medical treatment for transgender youth.
“I feel bad that I’m being responsible and saying clearly and precisely the kind of harm this legislation is doing,” Zephyr — the first transgender person elected to the Montana Legislature — told As it happens host Nil Koksal.
Republicans call comments ‘hateful’
Zephyr made the comments on Tuesday, as lawmakers debated Republican governor Greg Gianforte’s proposed amendment to the transgender medical care bill.
Referring to the morning prayer of each legislature, he said: “If you vote yes on this bill and yes on this amendment, I hope that the next time there is a prayer, when you pray, you see blood on your hands.”
Later that night, a group of conservative lawmakers known as the Montana Freedom Caucus accused her of criticizing her in a letter and tweet, both of which referred to her use of male-specific pronouns.
Caucus members said Zephyr’s comments represented “hateful rhetoric” and called for a “commitment to civil discourse.”
As of Thursday, House Speaker Matt Regier, a Republican, refused to acknowledge Zephyr when he tried to comment on various bills.
Democrats objected, but the decision to silence Zephyr was upheld in committee and the full House on party votes Thursday and Friday.
Regier said he was doing his job to “maintain civility” and “maintain the dignity and integrity” of the House floor.
“What they want is silence as they take away the rights of queer and trans Montanans,” Zephyr said.
Bill puts his life on the line, says Zephyr
Zephyr said he had no intention of apologizing for his comments or remaining silent about the “real danger” he said the proposed legislation would cause.
“As the first trans woman in this legislature, it feels important to advocate for my community and advocate for the youth in my community who are not able to advocate in this building,” she said.
The bill would prohibit transgender minors from receiving gender-affirming treatment in the form of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones or surgical procedures. Any medical professional who provides such treatment will lose their medical license for at least one year.
However, the same treatment is not prohibited for non-transgender minors.
Supporters of the bill say it tries to protect children who are too young to make decisions about their gender-affirming care. But Zephyr says the children’s lives are at stake.
Transgender youth are more likely than their peers to think about or attempt suicide, according to a study published last year in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. But trans teens who receive treatment to delay puberty are more likely to consider suicide, according to a 2020 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“I’ve lost a friend this year. A trans friend,” said Zephyr. “And I’ve had families, Montanan families, reach out to me and say their trans kids have tried to kill themselves.”
Most major medical institutions in the US recommend gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
‘They want us to be silent’
Zephyr said there have been several times when he’s heard representatives from other states make comments in the House that their colleagues didn’t like during heated debates — including some directed at him.
“And we go up and we deny it. Then we continue because we were elected here by our constituents to debate the bill. That’s what they sent us for. That’s what our democracy is,” he said.
“And to say that I can’t participate in that debate because they’re tired of what I’m saying, that’s completely undemocratic.”
WATCH | Tennessee Republicans expel 2 Democratic lawmakers from state legislature:
Republicans in the Tennessee Legislature have voted to remove two Democrats, two Black men, from their seats to protest in support of gun control. But the third Democrat who participated in the protest – a White woman – survived the vote, raising concerns that the race could be a subtext.
The move comes more than two weeks after Tennessee Republicans voted to expel two Black Democratic lawmakers from the state legislature for participating in gun control protests at the state capital.
“There’s a connection here when marginalized communities rise up and say, ‘You’re hurting us and killing us,'” Zephyr said.
“When we go up, the people in power now — the Republicans in power, especially — don’t want accountability. They want silence. And we’re not going to give it to them.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, here’s where to get help:
This guide is from Center for Addiction and Mental Health emphasize how to talk about death with people who are worried.
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