Are these women forcing Zooey Zephyr to stand instead of sit while in exile from the house floor?

Since being barred from the floor of the Montana House of Representatives last week, state Rep. Zooey Zephyr (D) has been working remotely from just outside the chamber.

Last Wednesday, the state’s Republican-controlled House voted to ban the state’s first transgender legislator, forbidding her from entering the state house chamber, gallery, or anteroom until the session ends on May 5, in retaliation for a speech she made lambasting her Republican colleagues for their support of a bill that would outlaw gender affirming-care for young people. (Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed the bill into law on Friday.)

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State Republicans moved to punish the trans lawmaker for speaking out against a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors.

Despite several of her committee meetings being canceled and bills being moved to other committees, Zephyr is still allowed to cast votes remotely for the remainder of the session. Last Thursday, she showed up to work from a bench just outside the chamber, which she and supporters have dubbed Seat 31, after her desk number assignment in the state legislature.

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On Monday, however, Zephyr was forced to work standing up at the lunch counter outside the House chamber after a group of women showed up early to occupy the bench from which she’d been working last week.

“Some folks showed up early this morning and sat on the public benches near the entrance to the House, so Seat 31 has moved,” she tweeted on Monday. “I’m up and ready to work. Plus, I hear stand desks are all the rage these days.”

Some folks showed up early this morning and sat on the public benches near the entrance to the House, so Seat 31 has moved.

I'm up and ready to work. Plus, I hear stand desks are all the rage these days. pic.twitter.com/Nu8TEo50FJ

— Rep. Zooey Zephyr (@ZoAndBehold) May 1, 2023

Photos show three women sitting on the bench and another standing by. It’s unclear why the four women were there, but many Zephyr supporters have assumed they were deliberately preventing the lawmaker from using the bench to conduct her duties as an elected representative, with some on social media dubbing them “Karens.”

@ZoAndBehold works from the lunch counter outside the House of Representatives chamber today because a group of women have been occupying the bench she used last week. #mtleg pic.twitter.com/ImMaYdaioS

— Thom Bridge (@thom_g_bridge) May 1, 2023

They’re always so proud of their bigotry pic.twitter.com/LFEIszgWUg

— Adam J. Thaxton (@raygungoth1) May 1, 2023

Can other Montana women please head to the Capitol tomorrow and save the seat for @ZoAndBehold. Please show there are kind people in the state

— Donna Sparklies