Montana Trans Lawmaker Stands Firm Despite Silencing Attempts.

Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr, the first openly transgender woman elected to the Montana Legislature, has been prevented from speaking on the statehouse floor since last Thursday after telling her Republican colleagues that they would have “blood on their hands” if they banned gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. Zephyr was deliberately misgendered by some Republican lawmakers throughout last week. She plans to keep trying to speak on the House floor Monday despite Republican leaders insisting that won’t happen until she apologizes. The standoff is the latest example of emergent discussions around civility, decorum and how to discuss political issues many perceive as life and death.