Republican attacks on trans people smack of fascism

‘If the rest of us want to stop America’s slouch toward fascism, we must speak out loudly and forcefully against sexual bigotry.’ Photograph: Tommy Martino/AP

For a second week, Montana Republicans have blocked Democratic transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr from participating in a debate over proposed restrictions on transgender youth.

Zephyr, a first-term Democrat from Missoula and the first openly transgender woman elected to the Montana legislature, hasn’t been allowed to speak on the state house floor since last Tuesday, when she told Republican colleagues they would have “blood on their hands” if they banned gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth.