“In a fundamentally undemocratic move, the Montana GOP is refusing to allow me to speak on any bill for the remainder of the legislative session. This unprecedented action comes directly after the passage of Senate Bill 458, a bill which erases transgender, nonbinary, and two- spirit individuals from 40 sections of Montana code. In response to the refusal to recognize me, my Democratic colleagues stood in solidarity, demanding that I be allowed to speak.”

“A rules committee was convened, after which the Montana GOP voted that the Speaker of the House can refuse to recognize anyone without reason or explanation. This decision is a direct assault on the principles of our democracy and serves to silence the voices of my community, as well as the 11,000 constituents I represent. The Montana GOP has pushed over a dozen anti-trans bills this year-targeting our art forms, our stories, our healthcare, and our very existence. It is particularly troubling that the moment they were confronted with the impact their legislation has, they chose to silence the only trans woman elected to public office in Montana as opposed to doing the right thing and voting down this harmful legislation,” says Democrat state Representative Zooey Zephyr in a statement after Republican Speaker Matt Regier refused to acknowledge Zephyr on Thursday following a Tuesday spat in which Zephyr warned the GOP would have “blood on their hands” if they passed a bill banning gender-affirming care for trans youth.