Best and worst states for LGBTQ+ people
The Out Leadership Index shows a widening gap between LGBTQ+-friendly states like Massachusetts and more hostile states.
Several Republican-led states have moved to designate June as Nuclear Family Month or similar observances, creating a contrast with Pride Month.
Tennessee was the first state to adopt the label this year, followed by declarations in Indiana and Alabama highlighting households with mothers, fathers, and children. While supporters frame the event as a recognition of traditional family structures, critics argue that its timing and language amounts to a political stunt to exclude LGBTQ+ families.
“Families led by stable parents, a father and a mother, give children the structure and discipline they need to succeed,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) said in a statement. “Alabama celebrates hard-working parents who strive for a better future for their children.”
“When the government comes and says June is Nuclear Family Month, sure, there’s a bit of an insult going on there,” Chris Sanders of the Tennessee Equality Project told Barron’s.
Arkansas takes a different approach
In Arkansas, Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders took a related but distinct approach, declaring June “Loyalty Month.”
In its May 27 proclamation, the state described the United States as a nation “founded on the values of faith, liberty, and patriotism” and emphasized the role of spiritual institutions in society.
“Cultivating loyalty to God, family, community and nation contributes to human flourishing and supports healthy, stable and orderly societies,” the declaration states.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.
