Over 10,000 Christians signed a petition that condemned the banning of Representative Zooey Zephyr, a Montana Democrat and the state's first transgender lawmaker, from the state's House floor on Wednesday after she reportedly breached decorum.

Zephyr spoke last week against Senate Bill 99, which was recently signed by Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, banning gender-affirming care for minors. The legislation, which will go into effect on October 1, states that health care professionals who violate the gender-affirming ban are "subject to discipline by the appropriate licensing entity or disciplinary review board." Consequences will include a suspension from their medical practice for at least a year.

From boycotting Bud Light for allowing transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote the beer brand's product, to banning transgender people from participating in women's sports, transgender rights have been heavily targeted by conservatives and Republican-led states. Over 385 anti-trans bills were introduced in the United States this year alone, with some lawmakers calling for either limiting or banning access to gender-affirming care for children, and access to public restrooms.

On the House floor, Zephyr said that forcing a transgender child to go through puberty would be "tantamount to torture, and this body should be ashamed."

"If you vote yes on this bill, I hope the next time you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands," Zephyr said. In response, Republican House Speaker Matt Regier deemed her statements as a breach of decorum. As a result, she was barred from the House floor in a 68-32 vote, meaning that she will not be allowed to debate or speak on legislation for the remainder of session, which ends next week. The state representative will cast her vote remotely until then.

Newsweek reached out by email to the Montana State Legislature for comment.

Faithful America, an online community of Christians aiming to put faith into action to push for social justice, posted its petition on Friday in an effort to gather 15,000 signatures from those who are against the consequences Zephyr faced for speaking out against the bill, arguing that she was simply speaking "truth to power about the harms done by anti-trans" legislation.

"Across the country, Christian-nationalist politicians are twisting rules to shut down debate in state capitols across the country. It's a fascist tactic that silences already marginalized communities and undermines democracy—and social-justice Christians have a key role to play in pushing back," Faithful America said in a statement posted along with its petition.

The group backed Zephyr's statements about forcing trans children to go through puberty, adding that the consequences of doing so would result in higher rates of depression and suicide among trans youth.

"Let's rally around Rep. Zephyr and show Republicans and the religious right that Christians will stand up for our neighbors and for democracy, no matter what," the statement continued.

Faithful America said in its petition that every Montana politician who voted in favor of the bill has "blood on their hands" and accused the "far-right" of continuing to push for "needless" restrictions in "Jesus's holy name."

"As Christians, we stand in solidarity with the trans community and with Rep. Zooey Zephyr, who was wrongly punished for speaking the truth about the damage done by anti-trans laws. From Montana to Tennessee, we oppose any and all attempts to weaponize government and twist legislative rules to silence, punish, or expel members of marginalized communities and their allies for speaking truth to power," the petition read.

Meanwhile, Zephyr launched her reelection bid for 2025, tweeting on Friday that "throughout my first term, I have worked tirelessly to defend our health care, our housing, our human rights, and democracy itself. And I'm ready to get back to the Montana State House of Representatives in 2025."