Transgender Montana lawmaker silenced and targeted by Republicans.

Montana's House speaker, Matt Regier, has refused to allow transgender lawmaker Rep. Zooey Zephyr to speak about bills on the House floor until she apologizes for saying lawmakers would have "blood on their hands" if they supported a bill to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. Zephyr, who was deliberately misgendered by a conservative group of lawmakers demanding her censure after Tuesday's comments, said she would not apologize, creating a standoff between the first-term state lawmaker and Republican legislative leaders. Democrats objected to Regier's decision, but the House Rules committee and the House upheld his decision on party-line votes.