A Republican-backed bill in Ohio is drawing sharp criticism from the queer community. House Bill 262, introduced by more than 20 GOP lawmakers, proposes to designate the weeks between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day as “Natural Family Month.” Supporters of the bill, including State Representatives Beth Lear and Josh Williams, say the goal is to promote the stability of two-parent households.
Lear stated, “At a time when marriage is trending downward and young couples are often choosing to remain childless, it’s important for the State of Ohio to make a statement that marriage and families are the cornerstone of civil society… H.B. 262 is about more than policy — it’s about promoting the economic and social stability that comes from raising children in healthy, two-parent households.”
But critics say the bill is exclusionary.
The legislation doesn’t define “natural” families, but Williams told NBC News it refers to “a man, a woman, and their children.” That definition doesn’t sit well with families like Vanessa Melendez’s. A married lesbian and mother of two, Melendez told WLWT5,
“What they are saying is if there’s only one way to be a natural family, and that’s entirely not true.”
Though Williams has denied discriminatory intent, for many LGBTQ families, the message behind “Natural Family Month” feels anything but inclusive. And it is not lost on our newsroom that from now through June is designed to contrast LGBTQ recognition using Natural Family Month as a protest against LGBTQ pride.
