Zooey Zephyr is a duly elected representative for the Montana state legislature. And she has spoken out against transphobia in the state legislature, including debating AGAINST those who would ban gender-affirming care to minors. In other words … Montana is voting against the rights of trans people.
And for that … Zooey Zephyr’s legislative microphone was cut off, she was censured, and for the rest of Montana’s session … she will not be allowed to speak or debate or even enter the chambers. She’s been essentially silenced by transphobes and racists and bigots and TERFs.
And believe me, it shouldn’t matter whether or not Zooey Zephyr is trans. If a cis man or a cis woman gave the same message as Zooey Zephyr, I doubt that the Montana State Legislature would silence their microphones or block them from entering the chamber. But because Zooey Zephyr is transgender … these fascists are comfortable in their knuckle-dragging racism and transphobia.
And I have a major problem with these actions.
But what can I do? I don’t live in Montana. I don’t work in Montana. I don’t have any Montana-based travel plans.
But there is one thing I can do. And that starts today.
For the time that Zooey Zephyr is silenced and unable to fulfill her right to support her people and her community in the Montana State Legislature, I’m boycotting the one Montana-based entity that I can boycott.
I’m not watching Yellowstone or its spinoff show 1923.
Yellowstone is a soap opera drama set in Montana – imagine if the Ewings or the Carringtons moved to Big Sky country and were allowed to swear more and show more boobs. The spinoff show, 1923, contains plotlines on how the Dutton dynasty entrenched itself into their Montana legacy – including more cursing and more boobs.
Yellowstone pumps a ton of money into the Montana economy. It also has some major sponsors, including Dodge, Tecovas boots, and other products.
That’s fine. They can have all that. As far as I’m concerned, the show stays off my radar.
It stays off my radar because I can’t support a product that benefits a state that would bar gender-affirming care to those who want or who need it. And who would turn around and squelch the voice of a duly-elected official to speak up for her constituents, and then treat her with vulgar disrespect and condescension.
And you can tell me, “Well, Chuck, boycott all you want, it’s not like there’s new episodes of Yellowstone coming up next week.”
True. But when they do come back on the air, I’m going to watch something else.
And you can tell me, “Oh, Chuck, every TV show is filmed somewhere that has a problem or an issue that’s different than your belief. Why pick on Yellowstone?”
Because you have to take a stand somewhere. TERFs lost their collective minds when Bud Light entered into a TikTok campaign with a trans influencer, and shot up their six-packs with rifles and whatnot.
And you can tell me, “Well, geez, Chuck, are you going to boycott every Taylor Sheridan TV series because of this?”
Not all of them. Dramas like Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King aren’t filmed in Montana and their storylines don’t take place in Montana. Now if suddenly Mike McClusky has a crossover visit to the 6666 Ranch or something … we’ll have to re-evaluate this.
And here’s the other thing. If I’m not watching Yellowstone when it airs, then I’m not watching the advertising partners for the show. Which means their advertising messages aren’t getting to my eyeballs or to my wallet. And come the day when this is resolved – either when Zooey Zephyr is restored to the Montana legislature with full rights and speech, or when the legislative session ends and she’s allowed to speak her truth and the truth of her constituents …
Then I’ll watch Yellowstone – and by that time, it’ll be in reruns and advertisement-free. HA. Dollars lost.
But for now, those pesky Duttons are going to have to fight and foul-mouth and fuck without my knowledge or interest.
Wait a second … fighting … foul-mouthing … fucking … I think I just described every episode of Yellowstone ever made.
I get it. It’s a small drop in the big bucket of life. But Zooey Zephyr’s treatment is not a small drop. It’s the start of a tsunami. And the Montana State Legislature doesn’t realize it yet … but they just gave a big voice to a future legislative rockstar.
And that’s worth more of my time than a Western-themed soap opera.
Chuck The Writer 
Zooey Zephyr can legislate remotely, according to a radio report I’d heard this morning. All this does is reinforce the fact that bigots of all stripes are like that because they fear things they don’t comprehend. GOPers pretend to uphold Christian values, but discrimination isn’t one of them.
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Chuck, I am shocked and offended by your use of the term “c*s”. There is no need to stoop to using slurs such as the c-word.
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So the final episode of the number one show on tv is in flux because feud between star and director! Zooey the legislator violated the rules and was censured, that’s on her, Chuck chastised peeps who went to DC but not a word on these peeps for disrupting Montana leg! What’s good for the goose not good for the gander!
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I’m all in favor of a good boycott. I’ve boycotted lettuce and orange juice in the past. I guess that these days, though, boycotting states is hard. One can make a legit case for boycotting Texas, Florida, or any number of states for good cause. BTW, here’s a good product made in Montana that I’m planning to buy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7FDo4RSNIc
As for Yellowstone, I’ve never seen it; I can’t see it, so not watching it is a done deal. I’ve also never been to a Chick-Fil-A or Hobby Lobby, so not going now is not a big lift for me.
So as you suggested, you have to take a stand somewhere, and that’s legit.
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Now THIS is interesting: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/4/27/2166235/-Montana-Gov-Gianforte-s-son-comes-out-publicly-details-discussion-with-dad-about-anti-trans-bills Montana Gov. Gianforte’s son comes out publicly, details discussion with dad about anti-trans bills
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