HELENA, Mont. (AP) – A group of conservative Republican lawmakers in Montana are deliberately blaming their transgender colleagues for asking them to be impeached for language they used on the floor while opposing a bill that would ban gender-affirming medical treatment for children.
The Montana Freedom Caucus posted its request on Twitter Tuesday afternoon — on letterhead with the names of 21 lawmakers — arguing that Rep. Democrat Zooey Zephyr should be punished “for trying to embarrass the Montana legislature and using inappropriate and inappropriate language during floor debate.”
The caucus cited a “commitment to civil discourse,” while misgendering Zephyr in the same sentence. Caucus also misgendered Zephyr in a Tweet.
“It’s disappointing that the Montana Freedom Caucus will fall so low because of one of the things I wrote in the letter, further demonstrating our disregard for the dignity and humanity of transgender individuals,” Zephyr said in a statement Wednesday. “The call for ‘civility and respect’ is as hypocritical as it is.”
Lawmakers were debating Republican governor Greg Gianforte’s proposed amendment to the transgender medical care bill when Zephyr, referring to the prayer he gives before each floor session, said: “If you vote yes on this bill and yes on the amendment, I hope. there is a prayer, when you kneel down to pray, you see blood on your hands.
House Majority Leader Sue Vinton stood up and said: “I’m going to put it on record that this is inappropriate, rude and uncalled for. We can debate issues civilly and respect each other. Vinton previously opposed Zephyr’s statement that lawmakers should be ashamed if they support the bill mentioned.
“The language used by the so-called Freedom Caucus, including the deliberate and repeated misgendering of Rep. Zephyr, is outrageous and the furthest thing imaginable from the ‘commitment to civil discourse’ that the writers of this letter aspire to,” House Minority Leader Kim. Abbott said in a statement. “I think it’s ironic that these legislators are asking others not to obey themselves.”
Republican Sen. Theresa Manzella, chairwoman of the Montana Freedom Caucus, did not immediately respond to an emailed inquiry Wednesday.
Madison Atkinson, a Republican House spokeswoman, did not say whether House leaders planned to act on the caucus’ request.
“House leadership is focused on preserving the integrity of the House floor, and the integrity of the Montana House of Representatives while serving the people of Montana,” he said in a statement.
The exchange on the House floor and the caucus response are examples of the polarization seen in legislatures across the country as they debate bills affecting the transgender community.
Earlier this month in Kansas, House lawmakers overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill banning transgender female athletes from girls and women’s sports from kindergarten through college. Two LGBTQ+ Democratic lawmakers are upset because they believe Republicans are too happy to vote for them.
Rep. Heather Meyer, who also has a transgender son, stood, opened her jacket and displayed a “Protect Trans Youth” T-shirt before making obscene gestures as she left the room. Rep. Susan Ruiz yelled at GOP members, briefly cursing them out before telling them she was rude.
In some states, transgender people who have testified against laws targeting their rights have been met with questions and derogatory rhetoric from Republican lawmakers.
Zephyr began Tuesday’s commentary by criticizing a letter from the governor outlining proposed amendments to the gender-affirming care bill. In it, the governor said he had met with transgender residents and said Montanans struggling with their gender identity deserve love, compassion and respect.
“That’s not what trans Montanans need from you,” Zephyr said. “We need access to medical care that saves our lives.”
“I adhere to an accurate description of the devastating consequences of denying essential medical care to transgender youth,” Zephyr said. The ban on gender-affirming treatment “is part of an alarming trend of anti-trans legislation in our country, which includes more than a dozen unconstitutional bills. These bills ban art forms, stories, health care, and our existence in Montana code.
The Legislature has considered a bill that seeks to ban drag story hours, but it has been amended. It has passed a bill saying it is not illegal discrimination for school students to misgender or deadname fellow students, unless it rises to the level of bullying. The Legislature also moved another bill to put the binary definition of male and female into state code.
Zephyr said Tuesday that lawmakers and the governor have received letters from emergency room doctors who say transgender teenagers are citing legislative action as a reason for suicide attempts. “My country doesn’t want me,” said the patient’s doctor.
The House and Senate gave final approval to the governor’s amendment Wednesday. The bill will now go to the governor for his signature.
Associated Press writer John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this report.