The Tennessee House of Representatives passed the resolution 72–18, and it cleared the Tennessee Senate by a vote of 26–4.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a resolution declaring June Nuclear Family Month. Photo / Getty Images
The move has no legal force or teeth, according to the Independent. A resolution is effectively an official and symbolic statement.
Governor Lee has not issued a statement since he signed the resolution, the Independentrecognised.
Since 1999, June has been recognised as Pride Month in the United States, commemorating the June 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City — a series of riots and demonstrations following a police raid on the Stonewall Inn that helped spark the modern gay rights movement.
LGBTQ advocacy organisation Glaad criticised the move, telling the Advocate “the strongest families are grounded by love”.
“Resolutions like this do more to reveal the cluelessness of elected officials whose own families and those of their constituents have various family dynamics and structures,” a GLAAD spokesperson said.
“Lawmakers trying to exclude and intentionally harm some families should be recognised as actively harming all by not focusing their time working for an inclusive Tennessee where all are welcome and can succeed.”
The resolution came after Republicans tried and failed to restrict LGBT+ symbols last month. The legislation, “No Pride Flag or Month Act”, would have banned the display of pride flags and other LGBT+ symbols in government buildings, Nashville Scene reported.