Five Republican governors issued proclamations in recent days designating June with alternative titles that do not mention the month’s widespread recognition as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee each proclaimed June as “Nuclear Family Month,” defining the unit as “one husband, one wife and any biological, adopted or fostered children.” The proclamations do not explicitly mention Pride Month or the LGBTQ+ community.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey designated June as “Strong Families Month,” timed to coincide with Father’s Day. Her proclamation says fathers are “the head of the household” and that “homes led by a father and mother provide children with the structure and discipline necessary to succeed throughout life,” the AP reported.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders each issued proclamations for “Fidelity Month,” which the governors said emphasizes fidelity to faith, country and family. Neither proclamation addressed how families might be composed.
None of the proclamations directly reference Pride Month, but the AP reported that both supporters and opponents view the alternative designations as counterprogramming to the broader June observance. Pride Month has been recognized by presidential proclamations from both Democratic and Republican administrations in recent years.
The five states are all led by Republican governors. Pride Month, which began after the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, is celebrated with parades, events and corporate recognition across the country each June.