Colorado Springs Rep. asked to leave House floor after ‘deadnaming’ trans woman from podium
COLORADO (KRDO) -- A gender identity bill is still up for vote after controversy on the house floor halted proceedings. The controversy surrounds Colorado Springs Representative Scott Bottoms who was asked to leave after calling a transgender woman by their former name.
Under current Colorado law convicted felons are only able to change their name if they have quote "good cause." The new bill, HB24-1071, would make changing a name to conform to gender identity one of those "good" or acceptable causes.
While Colorado Republicans have voiced disapproval over the bill itself, Republican lawmakers strongly objected to an amendment to the bill that was proposed Monday.
Monday, a Democratic representative proposed the bill titled "Name Change to Conform with Gender Identity" be called "Tiara's law." The name was meant to honor Tiara Latrice Kelley, a trans woman and drag performer at Club Q. However, Rep. Bottoms took issue with the amendment arguing a bill should not be named after a convicted felon.
On the house floor, Bottoms began to read Tiara's criminal record and referred to Tiara by her previous names. House Speaker Julie McCluskie interrupted Bottoms to call for a recess.
Bottoms told KRDO13 that McCluskie told him not to "deadname" or refer to Tiara by her previous name before she transitioned.
However, when Bottoms returned to the House well, he referred to Tiara by her previous names again. McCluskie then asked Bottoms to leave.
KRDO13 asked Bottoms why he chose to call Tiara her former name after McCluskie warned against it.
"Because his name is Duane, and this was my point, he has a record," said Bottoms. "I don't have to go by gender ideology. I don't agree with it. I don't believe in it. There are two sexes. It is male and female, x, x, chromosome, x, y chromosome, nothing else."
Bottoms accused McCluskie of violating his First Amendment rights, and said he had the right to say everything he did on the House floor.
McCluskie told KRDO13 she made the expectations clear on the House floor that all representatives must be respectful.
"I really want to lift up that I too am committed to making sure every member, including Representative Bottoms, has the time, the moment to be able to share their perspectives," said McCluskie. "I lift up our First Amendment rights, our rights to free speech, but we do ask that when we share our perspectives, we do it respectfully."
The amendment to name the bill "Tiara's law" failed in the House yesterday.
At this time, it's unclear when the vote on HB24-1071 will happen.
