Montana lawmakers have rejected a proposal to ban Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr, the state's first transgender lawmaker, from using the women's restroom in the state Capitol, with several Republicans joining all Democrats in agreeing. They voted to reject the bill.
“I'm glad this ban failed, and I'm grateful to my colleagues, especially my Republican colleagues, for recognizing this as a distraction from the work we were elected to do,” Zephyr said Wednesday. I am,” he wrote. on social platform. “I am ready to represent my constituents and look forward to working on behalf of the state of Montana.”
On Tuesday, the state Legislature's Joint Rules Committee met to discuss rule changes before the next legislative session in January, including an introduction by Republican state Rep. Jerry Schillinger that would require state lawmakers to change their birth gender. It also included a bill that would require the use of toilets that are suitable for children.
Schillinger said the proposal “says things that probably don't need to be said and puts things in the rules that probably shouldn't need to be put in the rules.” Several Republicans in the Republican-controlled state Legislature said they agreed with Schillinger, but the Senate committee voted 11-7 in favor and the House committee voted 12-10 against. The bill ultimately failed.
State Rep. David Bedi, a Republican who represents northwestern Montana, said ahead of Tuesday's vote that he would “reluctantly” vote against Schillinger's proposal, calling it “distracting.”
The failure of the measure comes after House Republicans announced late last month that Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Delaware), who is set to become the first openly transgender member of Congress, to use the Capitol and House women's restrooms. This happened after a move was made to prevent the office building.
A Nov. 18 resolution introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace (R.S.C.) would ban all transgender people, including House employees, from accessing same-sex facilities consistent with their gender identity. He said the move was “absolutely” motivated. By McBride's election. Mace later introduced legislation that would ban transgender women and men from restrooms at museums, national parks and other federal lands.
Mace, who said she has received death threats over the bill, is fundraising through her own campaign, and for every $35 donated to her campaign, she will receive a message saying “Come and Get It” below an image of a sign in the women's restroom. The company promises to offer T-shirts with the phrase printed on them.
Then, on Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is held annually on November 20th to commemorate transgender people who have lost their lives to anti-trans violence, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) He announced a policy to ban homosexuals from gay establishments. The House side of the Capitol matches their gender identity. Under House rules, the speaker is given “general control” of facilities in the chamber and the power to issue policies regarding toilets.
Mr. McBride said he would follow Mr. Johnson's new policy. “I'm not here to fight about bathrooms,” she said.
“I have not been distracted over the past few days by this effort to distract from the real issues facing this country,” McBride said. This is because I have worked hard to prepare to represent the country.” in a statement He mentioned Mr Johnson and Mace's policies on social media.
in Scripps News interview Zephyr advised McBride last month to “stay on your side.”
“The hate from the right doesn't stop there when you look at policies that target trans women who are just trying to survive in the bathroom or just trying to play sports with their friends,” Zephyr said. “That hatred is on display every moment, which is why it is important to resist these efforts to target our communities.”
“The attacks against transgender people will continue to escalate,” she said, adding, “This will not be the last attack on Rep. McBride.”
