You’ve probably seen her. Maybe it was the viral clip of her standing in the Montana House with her microphone silenced, or perhaps you caught her on a late-night talk show. Since 2023, Zooey Zephyr has become a household name for anyone following the messy, often high-stakes world of state politics. But as with anyone who skyrockets to national fame during a culture war, people have questions. Specifically, people keep searching for Zooey Zephyr real name.
Let’s be real: when people search for a trans person's "real name," they’re usually looking for a "deadname."
It's a weirdly common obsession. Honestly, it's kinda fascinating how much energy goes into digging up the past of public figures. For Zephyr, the story isn't just about a change on a birth certificate. It’s about a deliberate, poetic choice of identity that happened long before she ever set foot in the Montana State Capitol in Helena.
The Meaning Behind Zooey Simone Zephyr
So, let's address the keyword directly. Zooey Zephyr real name is exactly that: Zooey Simone Zephyr.
She didn’t just pull these names out of a hat. She’s talked about this quite a bit in interviews with places like The Guardian and Out Magazine. For her, the transition wasn't just about moving away from an old life; it was about building a new one with specific intentions.
- Zooey: This comes from the Greek word for "life."
- Simone: A tribute to her paternal grandmother.
- Zephyr: This one is the most "her." A zephyr is a gentle breeze from the west.
She’s mentioned that she wanted to be a "gentle breeze" in the world. It’s a bit ironic considering she’s now at the center of a political hurricane, but that was the original vibe she was going for. She officially transitioned and began using the name in 2019, several years before her historic 2022 election.
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The "Zachary Raasch" Question
If you dig deep enough into the more aggressive corners of the internet—the kind of places that aren't exactly fans of her—you’ll see the name Zachary Raasch.
According to various public records and some deep-dive investigative pieces from conservative outlets like the Independence Institute, this was the name she used growing up in Billings and Seattle. Before the suits and the legislative sessions, she was a champion high school wrestler and a competitive Super Smash Bros. player under the handle "Cazcom."
In the gaming community, especially in the Project M scene, she was a known entity. She even made the top 8 at the Northwest Majors IV back in 2014. It’s wild to think that a decade ago, her biggest fights were happening on a screen with a GameCube controller in her hand rather than on the floor of a state legislature.
Why Does This Search Even Trend?
Basically, it’s a tactic.
In the current political landscape, using a trans person's birth name is often used as a way to undermine their current identity or "expose" some hidden truth. But Zephyr hasn't really hidden her past. She’s spoken about her parents—conservative Christians who she says disowned her after her transition. She’s spoken about her time as a university administrator at the University of Montana.
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She isn't a "character" created for TV. She’s a person from Billings who went to the University of Washington, got a couple of master's degrees, and decided she was tired of watching thin-margin votes decide the rights of people she cared about.
The Montana Context
Montana is a red state, but it has these deep blue pockets like Missoula. That's where Zephyr lives. It’s a college town, and it’s why she was able to win her seat with nearly 80% of the vote.
When people search for Zooey Zephyr real name, they might also be looking for her "credentials." Is she "really" from Montana? Yeah, she was born in Billings. She’s a "local girl made good" (or "bad," depending on who you ask in the 406 area code).
Her rise to fame wasn't just because she’s trans. It was the "blood on your hands" comment in April 2023. She was speaking against a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors. When she told her colleagues they would have blood on their hands, the GOP-led House didn't just disagree; they silenced her. They literally stopped her from speaking on the floor for the rest of the session.
That move backfired spectacularly if the goal was to make her go away. It turned a local representative into a national symbol.
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What’s Happening Now?
Fast forward to 2026. Zephyr is still a major player. She won her reelection in late 2024 by a landslide. She’s also married now; she wed journalist Erin Reed in 2024.
The couple has become a sort of "power pair" in the world of LGBTQ+ advocacy. While Zephyr works the inside track in the legislature, Reed tracks the legislation across all 50 states.
People are still searching for her "real name" because she remains a lightning rod. Whether she’s sponsoring bills to repeal the ban on same-sex marriage or fighting for "Right to Repair" laws for wheelchairs (one of her 2025 focuses), she stays in the headlines.
Actionable Insights for Following the Story
If you're trying to keep up with Zephyr's career or the legal battles surrounding her transition and legislative status, don't just rely on viral tweets.
- Check the Montana Capitol Tracker: This is run by the Montana Free Press. It's the best way to see how she actually votes. You'll find she spends way more time on things like landlord-tenant laws and Medicaid reimbursement than the national news would lead you to believe.
- Follow the ACLU of Montana: They’ve been handling the legal side of her censure. If you want the technical "lawyer" version of why she was kicked off the floor, their filings are the place to look.
- Watch the Documentary "Seat 31": It’s a short film that follows her journey through the 2023 session. It gives a lot of context to the person behind the "political symbol" label.
At the end of the day, a name is just a label. But for Zooey Zephyr, her chosen name is a reflection of the life she wanted to lead—a life that, whether you agree with her politics or not, has become impossible to ignore.
Next Steps: You can verify her current legislative work by visiting the official Montana State Legislature roster or following her verified social media handles, where she frequently posts updates on House District 95.