‘Let her speak!’: protests after Montana Republicans silence trans lawmaker

Zooey Zephyr hasn't been allowed to speak on house floor since taking a stand against bill that would ban gender-affirming care

Montana protesters brought the state house to a halt on Monday after Republican legislative leaders prevented a transgender lawmaker from speaking for a third day over her remarks about banning gender-affirming medical care for trans youth.

The interruption is the latest development in a three-day fight over Montana state representative Zooey Zephyr's remarks against lawmakers who support a ban on gender-affirming care. Zephyr, who is trans and a first-term Democrat, hasn't been allowed to speak on the state house floor since Thursday because she told Republican colleagues last week they would have blood on their hands" if they banned gender-affirming medical care.