Montana trans lawmaker fights on during 1st day of exile

By AMY BETH HANSON, BRITTANY PETERSON and SAM METZ
Associated Press

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana lawmaker Zooey Zephyr began her first day in legislative exile with renewed confidence that Republican lawmakers’ unprecedented vote to silence her has only amplified her message. Lawmakers were not making it easy for her, however. Shortly after she set up Thursday morning in a public space just outside the main House chamber, the speaker told her she couldn’t work there. The House minority leader countered that she can, and Zephyr remained in place. The lawmaker was thrust into the national spotlight last week when she was prevented from speaking in the House after telling lawmakers backing a bill to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors that they would have blood on their hands.