Montana Representative Zooey Zephyr is facing censure after her impassioned speech on the House floor during a debate on amendments to a bill banning gender-affirming care for trans youth. Governor Greg Gianforte requested the amendments, which prohibit public funding for transition-related treatments for young people and ensure that such care will only be available to minors born with a medically verifiable disorder of sex development.
Zephyr, who is transgender herself, spoke out against the bill and the amendments, pointing out that the amendments define gender as binary and stating that gender-affirming care is not “Orwellian Newspeak,” as the governor’s letter describes it. She called out legislators who voted for the bill, saying they have “blood on their hands” for denying trans youth access to care that is accepted by every major medical association.
The Montana Freedom Caucus, made up of the state’s most conservative legislators, has called for Zephyr’s censure, accusing her of attempting to shame the Montana legislative body and using inappropriate language during a floor debate. The caucus also misgendered Zephyr and invoked the recent mass shooting in Nashville, wrongly attributing it to a transgender shooter.
Zephyr and former Montana Supreme Court Justice James Nelson, who has denounced the rightward swing of the legislature, have both been accused of promoting violence over political beliefs, a claim they both deny. Zephyr tweeted that her comments about “blood on their hands” were in reference to a letter from an ER doctor who dealt with a trans teen suicide attempt and cited the legislature’s actions as a factor in their suicidality.
The debate over trans youth rights and gender-affirming care is a contentious issue across the country, and Montana is no exception. While some argue that denying care to trans youth is tantamount to torture, others believe that such care is unnecessary or harmful. As the fight for trans rights continues, the voices of lawmakers like Zephyr will continue to be heard.