Ohio Republicans are rallying behind a bill that wants to put the nuclear family on a pedestal—but only if it’s straight, monogamous, and biologically bonded. Welcome to “Natural Family Month,” a proposed celebration that would run from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day and, critics say, deliberately excludes LGBTQ families, single parents, and adoptive caregivers. The bill, introduced by Reps. Josh Williams and Beth Lear, is being marketed as a wholesome ode to tradition—but the subtext is clear: if you don’t check the heterosexual, married-with-biokids box, you’re out.
Williams didn’t mince words when asked if same-sex parents or adoptive families are included in the celebration. “The purpose of the month is to promote natural families—meaning a man, a woman, and their children—as a way to encourage higher birth rates,” he said in a statement. And no, this wasn’t a slip of the tongue—it’s the bill’s core purpose. Lear chimed in with a broader societal warning, stating, “Marriage is trending downward and young couples are choosing to remain childless… it’s important for the State of Ohio to make a statement.” The statement being: queer families don’t count.
As of now, 26 additional Republican lawmakers have signed on as co-sponsors. And while the bill doesn’t legally redefine what constitutes a family, its symbolism hits hard. It’s not just tone-deaf—it’s a political message cloaked in conservative nostalgia, backed by the Natural Family Foundation, a group known for opposing same-sex marriage and preaching about “clear male leadership” in households. That group reportedly lobbied for the legislation.
Advocates have wasted no time clapping back. Dwayne Steward, director of Equality Ohio and an adoptive parent himself, called the proposal “a calculated act of strategic erasure.” He added, “It not only invalidates the existence of single parents and countless other caregivers, but it takes direct aim at LGBTQ+ families across our state.” For many queer Ohioans, especially those raising children, the message is chilling: your family isn’t real.
The bill follows a growing pattern of state-level legislative efforts targeting the queer community in Ohio. Last year alone, lawmakers introduced eight anti-LGBTQ bills—two of which became law, including one banning certain gender-affirming medical care for minors. “Natural Family Month” may not come with legal penalties, but its implications are just as harmful. It normalizes discrimination by omission, pitting “natural” families against everyone else.
For LGBTQ families, this isn’t just about being left out of a calendar celebration—it’s about dignity, visibility, and the right to define family on their own terms. When lawmakers elevate one family model above all others, queer parents and their kids pay the price in social exclusion, policy neglect, and everyday stigma.
Ohio’s queer community is no stranger to fighting back. But in a political climate where erasure is becoming legislative routine, the stakes have never been higher. If Ohio’s GOP wants to celebrate families, maybe they should start by recognizing all of them.