THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

According to CNN, Zephyr had said that GOP lawmakers would have "blood" on their hands for passing bills restricting transgender rights. She also rallied protesters on April 24 after Speaker Matt Regier blocked her from being recognized to speak.

Zephyr—who, last year, became the first openly transgender woman elected to Montana's legislature—will be allowed to retain her seat and cast votes remotely; however, she will not be able to participate in debates. The session is scheduled to end next week.

Several pro-LGBTQ+ organizations criticized the development. Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said, "This action is part of a deeply disturbing trend of legislatures punishing leaders for using their voices to protest against discriminatory and dangerous legislation—we've seen it in Oklahoma and Tennessee already. Montanans deserve better than this. Rep. Zephyr deserves better than this. We stand with her."

Also, GLAAD and LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, in a joint statement, also brought up past instances, including the March censuring of non-binary Oklahoma state Rep. Mauree Turner for helping a demonstrator. LGBTQ+ Victory Institute Executive Director Elliot Imse said, "For anti-LGBTQ lawmakers to launch a verbal and legislative war against transgender Montanans and censure the state's only trans lawmaker for telling the truth—that they will have blood on their hands—is destructive and absurd. Her comment is incomparable to the harmful and hateful rhetoric of these anti-LGBTQ lawmakers and incomparable to the undeniable harm this legislation will have on trans people. Rep. Zephyr's voice is needed more than ever at this moment and her opponents understand that. It is the reason they are determined to silence her."

—Andrew Davis