Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr, alone on the house floor, stands in protest as demonstrators are arrested in the House gallery of the state capitol on April 24, 2023. (Photo by Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP)
Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr refuses to be silenced in the fight for equality
MELISSA WHITLER | Dallas Voice Fellow
melissa@dallasvoice.com
This Friday, April 12, at the Dallas LGBTQ+ Global Symposium, Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr is presenting the keynote address. In conjunction with the symposium’s theme of equality and human rights, Zephyr will speak on the importance of using one’s skills in the spaces where one is needed most.
Zephyr was first elected as a Montana state representative in the 2022 midterm elections, and she was sworn in January 2023. During the 2023 legislative session, Zephyr called out Republicans on the effects a bill banning gender affirming care for minors would have. She emphasized the lives that would be lost as a result of this bill, and was subsequently censured and barred from the chamber for the rest of the session.
Despite this, Zephyr continued to fight, working from a bench outside the chamber. She refused to cow to threats and fears, continuing to represent the constituents who elected her.
With previous experience in community activism, going into politics was a logical step for Zephyr. In the past, she said, she had gone to her representatives and was met with disinterest. That inspired her to run for office.
Zephyr said she noticed a shift in dynamic once she was elected. The people who did not listen before now communicate with her almost every day. And the Republicans who vote in favor of anti-LGBTQ bills come to her and apologize after.
“When you’re not in the room, they can ignore you or walk away,” Zephyr said, “but now they come to me, looking to confess.”
These representatives know what they are doing is causing harm, she said, yet they continue to spout anti-LGBTQ rhetoric. So the question becomes, Zephyr said, how do you go into these spaces and hold them accountable?
For her, the answer is to hold herself with poise while refusing to back down or give these politicians absolution.
Even with increased national attention following her expulsion, Zephyr has maintained the same focus she has always had. She recalled that before she made the decision to run for office, she asked herself,”Where can I do the most good? And the legislature is where my voice can do the most good right now.”
She continues to focus on that question using the new platform she has. “The space and place of work may have changed, but the effort stays the same,” Zephyr said.
She extends similar advice to anyone looking to become an advocate for their community. Stressing that we need representation not just in the spaces where these laws are being passed, but everywhere, she said, “I encourage folks to recognize there are a lot of rooms we need to be in.”
There are, she added, a thousand different places to make your voice heard, you just have to find the room you feel called to be in. And with the attacks on the LGBTQ community, there is an urgency that calls for action now rather than later.
Zephyr also emphasizes the importance of taking care of yourself. “Make sure before you step out you have ways to recharge,” she said. Advocacy can take its toll if not approached with balance.
Zephyr herself just came back from a trip to Vermont with her fiancé to watch the eclipse. Such breaks are needed in order to continue the long fight. We must not lose the joy of our community, she urged, and having something outside of advocacy can help one stay grounded when things are hard.
Zephyr gave the example of art, saying “You can finish a painting, and the governor cannot veto your painting.”
For Zephyr, it all comes back to why she got involved in this work in the first place. What keeps her going are the stories she hears everywhere she goes, whether it be from organizations fighting in small towns or groups of parents of LGBTQ youth. She recalled one young man she met last year at Pride. He approached her wearing a trans flag cape, introduced himself and said he had watched Zephyr stand up to a bunch of bullies in the legislature. He told her he thought, “If she can do that there, I can come out to my family.”
The young man subsequently began his transition and was met with love and acceptance from his community. This is the kind of story that keeps Zephyr rooted in the fight.
Zephyr gave another example from the time she was at a conference in France: There was a mother there from Sweden who had a trans son and was asked about how the transition was for her. She said it was the happiest moment she ever felt, because, “I had watched my kid grow up and then vanish.” But after he came out, she was able to see her child return and grow in confidence.
“These stories are what give me hope and a sense of purpose and drive,” Zephyr said. “These are the stories I’m fighting for.”
That fight is ongoing. Zephyr is currently running for reelection this year, and she affirmed her commitment to fighting wherever feels the most important in the present moment, whether that be in the Montana legislature, in Congress or being a stay-at-home mom.
And, Zephyr said, she feels blessed she feels to be in this fight. “The work I’ve been able to do has been a blessing and very humbling, and I am committed to continue fighting until we see our rights secured,” she concluded.
