Anti-Democratic And Anti-Minority Politics Collide: Rep Zephyr's Treatment In Montana Should Concern Us All

Protesters gathered to support Rep. Zephyr in Montana, silenced for the third straight day, and were arrested. The GOP is building support for anti-democratic politics off the backs of minorities.

Yesterday, Representative Zooey Zephyr stood and raised her microphone high after she was not allowed to speak on a bill for the third straight day. In response, Montanans from her district and across the state gathered in the gallery, chanting to let her voice be heard. Authorities then proceeded to arrest eight individuals and blocked Rep. Zephyr from speaking. Meanwhile, in Tennessee, after showing support for protesters against gun violence, the legislature voted to expel the two black lawmakers who had showed solidarity. Over in Oklahoma, nonbinary Representative Mauree Turner faced censure for providing shelter to a member of a crowd protesting for transgender rights in the capital. This growing pattern highlights a troubling trend: the GOP seems increasingly eager to undermine democracy by targeting minority voices and their representatives.

To provide context for Representative Zephyr's situation, let's revisit the events of April 20th. On that day, the Montana Senate considered SB99, a bill that forcibly medically detransitions transgender youth. Zephyr delivered a powerful speech against the legislation, asserting that she hoped those who vote for the bill would see the blood on their hands. In retaliation, the GOP blocked Zephyr from speaking on any subsequent bills, stating that the Speaker could “acknowledge anyone he chooses.” This move blatantly subverted the democratic process and effectively disenfranchised her entire district. To add salt to the wound, the first bill on which Zephyr was denied her right to speak was SB458, which redefines sex in a manner that essentially erases transgender individuals from up to 40 sections of the legal code. In doing so, the GOP symbolically erased Zephyr herself, along with the community she belongs to.

See the exchange that led to all of this here:

What happened next was a scene that has become familiar to citizens across the country. The GOP, driven by their hatred and fear of a minority speaking on behalf o their community, reacted by escalating their rhetoric and stating that Rep. Zephyr should not be heard for the remainder of the session. When her constituents showed up and packed the gallery with over a hundred demonstrators, the speaker held a vote on if she would be allowed to speak - the GOP voted to not allow her on party lines. Following that, the crowd erupted and the speaker called the sergeant at arms to clear them. Representative Zephyr stood and lifted her microphone high in solidarity:

Rep. Zephyr raising her microphone to demonstrators

The future remains uncertain. Members of the Republican Montana Freedom Caucus have officially demanded "discipline" for Representative Zephyr. Press conferences are slated for today, and conservative commentators have already dubbed the incident an "insurrection" in a perplexing display of projection. Despite the absence of violence and the release of all protesters from custody, the Montana GOP seems poised to double down on their subversion of the democratic process by potentially taking formal action against Zephyr.

I cannot help but wonder: have they learned nothing at all? Merely weeks ago, in a state far away, the "Tennessee Three" stood united on the legislative floor, expressing solidarity with protesters above. Representative Justin Jones raised a sign and a bullhorn, ensuring that those in the rafters felt heard. Representatives Gloria Johnson and Justin Pearson also demonstrated support. Tennessee Republicans hastily labeled the event an "insurrection” in a similar fashion to Montana Republicans. It was unsurprising, though no less disheartening, when the House voted to expel only the two black lawmakers involved, while allowing their white counterpart to remain.

Weeks before that, Representative Mauree Turner supported demonstrators at the Oklahoma Capitol who were protesting a bill comparable to Montana's SB99, which would force transgender youth to undergo medical detransition. Amid the protests, Turner offered shelter to one of the activists in their office. Once again, legislators and conservative commentators branded the events an "insurrection" – a term they appear eager to apply to peaceful protests yet reluctant to use for actual violent disruptions of democracy, such as the events of January 6.

Representative Turner responded with bite:

“I know that I represent a culmination of things that y’all deeply hate. I know it makes it easier for you to try to silence the people of House District 88, because we continually hold you accountable. We push you to be better to take care of Oklahoma. What happened last week in my office was the same thing that happens all the time. People do not feel represented or protected by this body.”

A troubling trend is emerging in state governments, as minority voices face increasingly undemocratic actions from lawmakers who have consistently legislated against their rights. Black and brown individuals, transgender and nonbinary people, are holding GOP-dominated legislative bodies accountable and refusing to let their actions go unchallenged. In return, these GOP-controlled legislatures are not satisfied with merely passing bills; they seek silence from those most affected by their actions, demanding complicity to harm these communities with impunity. It was this veneer of a clear conscience that Representative Zephyr shattered, sparking the ire of the Montana legislature and leading them to silence both her and her constituents.

Following the protest in the Montana State House, Representative Zephyr passionately called out this dynamic and addressed it during an interview:

“What you heard today is people standing for democracy. People standing to let their voices be heard in that floor. And what you are watching here is you are watching people who do not want to see democracy in action. They want to strip us of our rights, and its not enough for them to get the harmful bills through. When someone stands up and calls out their bills for the harm they cause, for the deaths they cause, they want silence, and we will not be complicit in our eradication.”

It's crucial to recognize that the GOP's subversion of democratic processes in response to marginalized groups is not resonating well, neither in states they govern nor on a national level. The vast majority of the American public believes that lawmakers have the right to peacefully protest in statehouses and legislatures. After attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, the Republican party in various states has advocated for decertifying elections. The American public must pay close attention to the events in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Montana to grasp the anti-democratic and perilous agenda the GOP is pushing. While they may target minority lawmakers by undermining democracy today, they are honing their tactics for a broader assault on the nation in 2024.

Disclosure: Representative Zephyr is this writer’s romantic partner.