Montana House endorses transgender bathroom ban affecting fellow lawmakers
Montana’s Republican-controlled House on Wednesday approved a ban on transgender people using bathrooms in public buildings that do not correspond to their sex at birth — a change that would complicate the daily lives of two fellow lawmakers.
The approval comes a month after Montana lawmakers rejected a stricter rule that would have banned transgender Rep. Zooey Zephyr from the women’s restroom in the Capitol shortly after her return from legislative exile.
Zephyr and non-binary Rep. SJ Howell implored their Republican colleagues to reject the proposal and stop labeling transgender people as a threat to women without evidence to support the claim.
A dozen other states Variations on the toilet ban are already on the books, many of which target school facilities. Even more states, including Montana, have passed laws ban gender-affirming health care for trans youth and keep trans girls out girls sports.
“Transgender people are already scared enough walking around the state of Montana,” Zephyr said. “Leave transgender people alone. Let me be the woman I want to be. Let me live my life.”
Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, a Republican who supports the bill, emphasized that it is not intended to be exclusionary, but to preserve safe spaces for women.
“Women should not have to sacrifice their privacy or safety because of cultural trends,” she said.
Republicans pushed through the bill in a party-line vote of 58-42 over strong Democratic opposition. The measure faces a final vote in the House before heading to the Republican Party-controlled Senate.
Under the bill, transgender people would not be allowed to use restrooms, locker rooms and sleeping areas that correspond with their gender identity in public buildings, schools, prisons and programs for victims of domestic violence.
People could sue a facility for not preventing transgender people from using a restroom or changing area that reflects their general identity. But they could only recover nominal damages, usually $1. However, the entity could be obliged to pay the claimant’s legal costs.