In an interview with MSNBC’s Joy Ann Reid just hours after being censured by GOP lawmakers, Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr called out her Republican colleagues for their performative actions.
Zephyr told Reid on Wednesday night that Republicans’ actions to vote in favor of legislation that would ban gender affirming care for transgender minors doesn’t align with what they have expressed behind the scenes.
“Behind the scenes, Republicans are expressing they wished the far-right contingent of their party didn’t push this, but they’re afraid of being primaried. They’re afraid of the direction their party is going,” Zephyr said. “But ultimately those words ring hollow when the votes show up on the board and they vote to take away the rights of queer people in this state.”
Reid followed up: “So what you’re saying is behind the scenes they seem to not want to do it, but they do it performatively?”
Zephyr responded: “Exactly.”
The interview aired a few hours after the Republican-controlled state House voted to censure Zephyr, who is one of Montana’s first transgender lawmakers, after she spoke out against legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors last week. The bill advanced in the legislature last week and is awaiting consideration from Gov. Greg Gianforte (R), who has previously expressed support for the policy.
“If you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments, I hope the next time there’s an invocation, when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands,” Zephyr said in a hearing last week.
Her comments ignited criticism from GOP lawmakers, including House Majority Leader Sue Vinton, who described her actions as “inappropriate, disrespectful and uncalled for.” Zephyr was barred from speaking on the floor this past week following her comments, and in a press release, 21 Republicans called for Zephyr to be censured, and they deliberately misgendered her.
Through this party-line vote, Zephyr is barred from speaking on the House floor for the remainder of the legislative session, which is set to adjourn next week.
“My constituents are upset. They want their democratically elected representative to speak on their behalf,” Zephyr said in the MSNBC interview.