Montana Republicans on Wednesday voted to formally punish a transgender Democratic lawmaker who has been silenced in the state House after criticizing GOP colleagues who support a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender children.
The chamber voted 68-32 to bar state Rep. Zooey Zephyr from being present at the House floor, anteroom or gallery — a move that comes after widespread outrage over Zephyr’s silencing led to heated protests at the Capitol on Monday. Zephyr will now only be allowed to attend sessions remotely for the rest of the legislative session, which ends next week.
Since Zephyr said last week that those who support banning gender-affirming care for transgender children would have “blood on their hands,” Republican leaders have declined to recognize her on the floor and her microphone has been disabled when lawmakers have debated. In response, Zephyr and her supporters held a rally Monday that resulted in
and upended proceedings at the Capitol as people jammed inside the chamber and kept chanting, “Let her speak!”After Zephyr’s comments, representatives on both sides of the aisle were allowed to speak. Fellow Democrat Rep. SJ Howell said Republicans are the ones who brought up the controversial issues.Minority Leader Democrat Rep. Kim Abbott said she knows the GOP has the ability to make this vote, but admonished them for doing so, calling it “the wrong choice.
I have been informed that during tomorrow’s floor session there will be a motion to either censure or expel me. I've also been told I'll get a chance to speak. I will do as I have always done—rise on behalf of my constituents, in defense of my community, & for democracy itself.
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