US TRANS POLITICIAN ZOOEY ZEPHYR SLAMS REPUBLICANS SAYING THEIR ‘EXTREMISM IS OUT OF STEP WITH WHAT PEOPLE WANT’ AND ARE MASKING AMERICAS REAL ISSUES BY STIRRING UP A FEAR OF A TRANSGENDER BOOGEYMAN
Video soundbites are downloadable below. The PinkNews Logo must be visible when broadcast and reference made in the lead-in script to PinkNews as the source of the exclusive.
The second part of the interview will be released on Friday 19th May, with the full interview published from Saturday 20th May 2023.
If you would like access to these embargoed exclusive interviews please get in touch
WEDNESDAY 17TH MAY 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
**CREDIT LINE TO BE INCLUDED IN COPY - PINKNEWS SPEAKS TO ZOOEY ZEPHYR**
Zooey Zephyr, a prominent Montana representative and advocate for transgender rights, slammed Republicans for diverting attention from significant issues in the United States by instilling fear of a transgender "boogeyman." In an exclusive interview with PinkNews, Zephyr accused state and national Republicans of using LGBTQ+ issues as a smokescreen to hide "inadequate solutions' ' to major challenges faced by the country.
Zephyr became the subject of controversy in April after she was publicly censored and banned from the Montana House for the remainder of the 2023 legislative session after speaking out against the anti-trans Senate Bill 99. The bill, which was signed into law by governor Greg Gianforte on 28 April, halted gender-affirming care for under-18s by preventing access to physically reversible puberty blockers. It also bans “surgical procedures,” which no private or public healthcare system currently practises on under-18s.
Since her ban and subsequent return to the House on 2 May, Zephyr has been outspoken in her opposition to both the Republican legislation she called out and the decision to censure her, which she has described as "undemocratic".
"The extremism that we're seeing in Republican-controlled legislatures is deeply out of step with the desire of people across this country," Zephyr told PinkNews.
"There is a growing acceptance of trans people [and] there's a growing frustration with bills targeting our community. Seeing what the right is willing to throw away to achieve their extreme ideological goals, it should be concerning for anyone who cares about democracy in this country."
The Montana House representative took specific issue with House speaker Matt Regier, who refused to acknowledge Zephyr after she accused anti-trans Republicans of having "blood on their hands".
She said that Regier, whose family holds a number of offices in Montana's state capitol, was "driving a nail into the coffin of democracy" when he decided to reprimand her for speaking up against the bill.
"When I was censured, I went out with my head held high. I made a plan, and the plan was how do I stay as close to the people's House as I can?"
During that time, she was seen working in the hallway outside the room where her colleagues were going about their political work as usual.
"I sat as close to the House as I could get, which itself took effort because the speaker tried to remove me from the public eye and put me in the minority leadership office. But I was able to stay in the public space and do the work there."
Zooey Zephyr told PinkNews she believes Republicans have created an LGBTQ+ "boogeyman" to hide legislative injustices in other parts of society – such as housing or the cost of living crisis. She described right-wing solutions to inherent societal issues as "inadequate", and added that attempts to censor her are only making those problems worse.
"There is such a deep, deep housing crisis in our state that needs serious solutions across the gamut," Zephyr explained.
"What we saw throughout the session is that Republicans were not interested in the breadth of legislation necessary to address the crisis. You saw deregulation, you saw development encouragement for market rate and higher developments. Not a lot done for renters, not a lot done for homebuyers.”
"I think when they bring those anti-LGBTQ+ bills, they're doing it because when you turn to the issues impacting Montanans in their day-to-day life, you don't have answers."
VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM THE PINKNEWS INTERVIEW WITH ZOOEY ZEPHYR IS AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE AND BROADCAST USE AND CAN BE FOUND HERE-
https://app.frame.io/reviews/57a5be8d-0711-4fe4-9df8-a4d480b2a88c
-ENDS-
PRESS ENQUIRIES
For more information please contact the PinkNews press office at 02039505775 / 07442489331 or emma.pearman@pinknews.co.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
- When referencing PinkNews, please note it is one word with no space and capital P and N
- **CREDIT LINE TO BE INCLUDED IN COPY - PINKNEWS SPEAKS TO ZOOEY ZEPHYR**
ABOUT PINKNEWS
PinkNews is the largest and most influential LQBTQ+ media company producing some of the most read and watched LGBTQ+ content globally. Each month across our award-winning website, social platforms and apps we reach over 100 million people (April 2022). Founded in 2005 by CEO Benjamin Cohen, PinkNews exists to inform, inspire change and empower people to be themselves with an unrivalled LGBTQ+ global audience. PinkNews stands for the fundamental rights of the entire LGBTQ+ community and its allies, helping to deliver positive and transformative change in the UK and globally. PinkNews acknowledges the individual experience and works to represent a diverse and intersectional community through its fundamental values of inclusivity, innovation, integrity and independence.
PinkNews is an award-winning digital publisher with accolades from Digiday Europe (2020 Publisher of the Year and Editorial Team of the Year), Digiday (2020 Best Snapchat Discover Publisher), Digiday Europe (2021 Video Team of the Year and Publishing Executive of the Year), The Drum Online Media Awards (2021 Brand of the Year, and Video Team of the Year), The Drum Online Media Awards (2022 Editorial Team of the Year), The Digiday Video & TV Awards (2022 Best Snapchat Show- The Queer Catch-Up), the AOP Digital Publishing Awards (2022 Best Use of Video- The Queer Catch-Up), Digiday Media Awards Europe (2022 Publisher of the Year and Publishing Executive of the Year- Sarah Watson), Digiday Media Awards (2022 Video Team of the Year), PPA 30 under 30 for Chandni Sembhi, PPA Independent Publisher Gamechanger Award for Anthony James and Digiday Video & TV Awards Best Snapchat Shows Producer and Best Snapchat show for Closet Critic).
Follow PinkNews (@PinkNews) on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, Snapchat and TikTok.