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– Since last week, Montana’s Republican House Speaker Matt Regier has refused to acknowledge or let Rep. Zooey Zephyr, a Democrat, speak.
Zephyr, who represents parts of Missoula, is the first transgender woman elected to the legislature. She’s been blocked from speaking since last Tuesday when she told supporters of a bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors that she hoped they would see “blood on [their] hands,” alluding to studies that show that transgender health care can reduce suicidality.
Leading U.S. medical groups, including the American Medical Association, say gender-affirming care is “medically-necessary, evidence-based care that improves the physical and mental health of transgender and gender-diverse people.”
Tuesday, the Speaker canceled the House’s floor session. Speaking to the media, Regier did not say why, or take questions, but he did dispute the characterization of Zephyr being silenced, saying she has the option to apologize and again be recognized on the floor.
“The only person silencing Rep. Zephyr is Rep. Zephyr,” he said, adding that House members are free to participate in debate while following House rules.
Democratic leaders disagree Zephyr broke the rules against using accusatory language on the floor, saying the Speaker doesn’t have the right to block her speech indefinitely.
While the House has yet to take formal steps to expel Zephyr, the debate around decorum comes just about three weeks after House Republicans in Tennessee voted to expel two young Black Democrats, Rep. Justin J. Pearson and Rep. Justin Jones, from that chamber.
The Tennessee House speaker said the lawmakers violated rules of decorum after Pearson, Jones and another Democrat used a megaphone on the House floor during a gun-reform protest.
