Zooey Zephyr (D, MT) (a trans woman) called out the GQP for their transphobia, and of course, they pulled what they usually do when they don’t like what they hear: they silenced her. She gave an impassioned speech on April 18th, in regards to Montana Senate Bill 99, in part,
“...If you disallow the use of medical care that is accepted by every major medical association … The only therapy left is either meaningless or conversion therapy, which is torture. If you are denying gender-affirming care and forcing a trans child to go through puberty, that is tantamount to torture, and this body should be ashamed. If you vote yes on this bill, I hope the next time you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands.”
The bill aims to halt gender-affirming care for trans youth by preventing the administration of puberty blockers, which are proven to be physically reversible, despite the fears of the right constantly saying they aren’t. It halts necessary care much of it psychological, for crying out loud, for youngsters that doesn’t include hormones because this is for tweens and teens who haven’t reached the age of majority, yet, and no one is going for surgeries or hormones at this stage. This is reversible care, so the kids can be CERTAIN they’re trans, and if they aren’t, then let Nature take it’s course, like normal. For FUCK SAKE, you ignorant chuds, this is part of how these non-gender conforming kids find out! This merely delays things a few years, that’s ALL.
The following legislative session, House speaker Matt Regier said he would refuse to recognise her going forward until she apologises* for her speech. “It is up to me to maintain decorum here on the House floor, to protect the dignity and integrity,” he said. “Any representative that I don’t feel can do that will not be recognised.”
The Republicans’ response to a fellow politician formally and properly debating a bill she disagreed with, was to send her a letter that misgendered her, shut off her microphone so she cannot effectively serve her constituents, and vote to consider censuring her (they haven’t done it formally, yet), and keep her mic off, saying she will not be allowed to speak until she “apologized” for something she did that wasn’t actually against any rules. The power still goes to her mic, but it doesn’t apparently operate. It doesn’t work—the Speaker has control of who’s mic operates during session (I assuming he has some kind of computer-based “switchboard” at his podium). So she can’t speak in session until she gives her sham “apology” for her speech, according to a vote taken in House and by the ruling of House Speaker, Matt Regier, a creep who can’t even be bothered to use the right fucking pronouns for her. Maybe they should apologize for THAT, first.
This is crap. Total, transphobic garbage.
*Pink is a British Mag and thus uses British spellings.