Photo: Thom Bridge/Independent Record/APThe Montana House of Representatives has voted to block Representative Zooey Zephyr from the house floor for the remainder of the legislative session.While she will be allowed to vote remotely, the decision comes after Zephyr, 34, the state’s first transgender lawmaker and first-time representative, voiced her concerns about SB 99, a bill whichbans transgender healthcare treatments, during adebate on April 18.“The only thing I will say is if you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments, I hope the next time there’s an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands,” proclaimed Zephyr.Tommy Martino/APAfter the remarks, House Speaker Matt Regier refused to let Zephyr speak for the following meetings,reports NPR, causing a group of protestors to take to the House gallery on Monday, where they chanted, “Let her speak!“During their demonstration, Zephyr held her microphone up to be recognized. The protest caused seven individuals to be arrested,adds CNN, and led to Tuesday’s session being canceled.“Currently, all representatives are free to participate in House debates while following the House rules,” expressed Regier in astatement shared on Twitterfollowing the protest. “The choice to not follow the House rules is one that Rep. Zephyr has made. The only person silencing Rep. Zephyr is Rep. Zephyr. The Montana House will not be bullied.“After Zephyr tweeted that there would be a"motion to either censure or expel” her, she defended her actionsduring Wednesday’s session, expressing that her remarks were not “hyperbolic.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I was speaking to the real consequences of the votes that we as legislators take in this body,” said Zephyr. “And when the speaker asks me to apologize on behalf of decorum, what he is really asking me to do is be silent when my community is facing bills that get us killed.““He’s asking me to be complicit in this legislature’s eradication of our community, and I refuse to do so, and I will always refuse to do so.“Zephyr echoed the same sentiments in atweet sharedafter the decision was made, writing,“Today I stood unwaveringly in defense of my constituents, my community, and democracy itself. And I pledge to always do so.”
Photo: Thom Bridge/Independent Record/AP
The Montana House of Representatives has voted to block Representative Zooey Zephyr from the house floor for the remainder of the legislative session.While she will be allowed to vote remotely, the decision comes after Zephyr, 34, the state’s first transgender lawmaker and first-time representative, voiced her concerns about SB 99, a bill whichbans transgender healthcare treatments, during adebate on April 18.“The only thing I will say is if you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments, I hope the next time there’s an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands,” proclaimed Zephyr.Tommy Martino/APAfter the remarks, House Speaker Matt Regier refused to let Zephyr speak for the following meetings,reports NPR, causing a group of protestors to take to the House gallery on Monday, where they chanted, “Let her speak!“During their demonstration, Zephyr held her microphone up to be recognized. The protest caused seven individuals to be arrested,adds CNN, and led to Tuesday’s session being canceled.“Currently, all representatives are free to participate in House debates while following the House rules,” expressed Regier in astatement shared on Twitterfollowing the protest. “The choice to not follow the House rules is one that Rep. Zephyr has made. The only person silencing Rep. Zephyr is Rep. Zephyr. The Montana House will not be bullied.“After Zephyr tweeted that there would be a"motion to either censure or expel” her, she defended her actionsduring Wednesday’s session, expressing that her remarks were not “hyperbolic.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I was speaking to the real consequences of the votes that we as legislators take in this body,” said Zephyr. “And when the speaker asks me to apologize on behalf of decorum, what he is really asking me to do is be silent when my community is facing bills that get us killed.““He’s asking me to be complicit in this legislature’s eradication of our community, and I refuse to do so, and I will always refuse to do so.“Zephyr echoed the same sentiments in atweet sharedafter the decision was made, writing,“Today I stood unwaveringly in defense of my constituents, my community, and democracy itself. And I pledge to always do so.”
The Montana House of Representatives has voted to block Representative Zooey Zephyr from the house floor for the remainder of the legislative session.
While she will be allowed to vote remotely, the decision comes after Zephyr, 34, the state’s first transgender lawmaker and first-time representative, voiced her concerns about SB 99, a bill whichbans transgender healthcare treatments, during adebate on April 18.
“The only thing I will say is if you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments, I hope the next time there’s an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands,” proclaimed Zephyr.
Tommy Martino/AP
After the remarks, House Speaker Matt Regier refused to let Zephyr speak for the following meetings,reports NPR, causing a group of protestors to take to the House gallery on Monday, where they chanted, “Let her speak!”
During their demonstration, Zephyr held her microphone up to be recognized. The protest caused seven individuals to be arrested,adds CNN, and led to Tuesday’s session being canceled.
“Currently, all representatives are free to participate in House debates while following the House rules,” expressed Regier in astatement shared on Twitterfollowing the protest. “The choice to not follow the House rules is one that Rep. Zephyr has made. The only person silencing Rep. Zephyr is Rep. Zephyr. The Montana House will not be bullied.”
After Zephyr tweeted that there would be a"motion to either censure or expel” her, she defended her actionsduring Wednesday’s session, expressing that her remarks were not “hyperbolic.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I was speaking to the real consequences of the votes that we as legislators take in this body,” said Zephyr. “And when the speaker asks me to apologize on behalf of decorum, what he is really asking me to do is be silent when my community is facing bills that get us killed.”
“He’s asking me to be complicit in this legislature’s eradication of our community, and I refuse to do so, and I will always refuse to do so.”
Zephyr echoed the same sentiments in atweet sharedafter the decision was made, writing,“Today I stood unwaveringly in defense of my constituents, my community, and democracy itself. And I pledge to always do so.”
source: people.com
