Transgender Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr barred from House floor for rest of 2023 session

Montana’s GOP-controlled state legislature voted to bar transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr from participating on the House floor for the rest of the 2023 session Wednesday.

The move comes after she refused to apologize for telling them last week that they would “see the blood on your hands” over votes to prohibit gender-affirming care for children.

Zephyr will be allowed to vote remotely, but can’t talk about proposals and amendments that are being debated among the 99 Montana house members.

Zephyr said before the Wednesday vote she was taking a stand for the LGBTQ community, her constituents and “democracy itself.”

She accused House Speaker Matt Regier of trying to drive “a nail in the coffin of democracy” by silencing her.

But House Majority Leader Sue Vinton accused Zephyr of putting lawmakers and staffers in danger because of her actions during protests in the chamber on Monday.

“Freedom in this body involves obedience to all the rules of this body, including the rules of decorum,” Vinton said.

With Post wires

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