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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Dems propose ‘Love Makes a Family Week' to counter ‘Natural Family Month'
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — An Ohio lawmaker is proposing a bill to mark 'Love Makes a Family Week,' after other legislators introduced plans to designate a month celebrating 'natural families.' Put forward by Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), the bill would recognize the first full week of June as 'Love Makes a Family Week.' The designation is meant to celebrate 'all families formed through love,' like those built through adoption, fosterhood, surrogacy and IVF; single-parent families, blended families and multigenerational households; and families of 'every race, sexual orientation, faith, structure and origin.' 'If Ohio is indeed the heart of it all, it is important that Ohio has a heart for all her people,' Antonio said in a statement. 'This bill affirms a simple truth: what makes a family is not how it was formed, but the love and support that strengthens it.' The proposal comes after another bill was introduced in May to recognize the weeks between Mother's Day and Father's Day as 'Natural Family Month.' The proposal is backed by the Natural Family Foundation, a Westerville-based organization that defines a 'natural family' as one man and one woman 'committed in a lifelong monogamous relationship' with their 'biological or adopted children.' Reps. Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) introduced the 'Natural Family Month' bill with the support of 26 Republican lawmakers and argue the designation is needed given the U.S. fertility rate recently reached a historic low. '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, and absolutely imperative if we want to maintain a healthy and stable republic,' Lear said. Antonio introduced the 'Love Makes a Family Week' bill as part of an effort by Statehouse Democrats to combat 'Natural Family Month' and other legislation that opponents deem 'anti-LGBTQ+,' like a law banning gender-affirming care for trans youth that is currently in effect while litigation continues. Another is a measure that went into effect in February requiring academic institutions to set separate bathrooms based on students' 'biological sex.' As Ohio's first openly gay Statehouse lawmaker, Antonio joined other Democrats for a news conference at the Statehouse on Tuesday marking the start of LGBTQ+ Pride month. The lawmakers touted recently reintroduced proposals to ban anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) also announced the reintroduction of the Marriage Equality Act, a bill to codify same-sex marriage and interracial marriage into Ohio's constitution. LGBTQ+ advocates have long argued the act is needed given the Supreme Court has signaled it would like to reconsider Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 case legalizing same-sex marriage. 'The hateful culture wars that we have going on in this state and across the country only succeed if we let it,' Antonio said during the news conference. 'We are all here today to say no, we do not accept it, we have an alternative, a better way.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio GOP bill imagines 'Natural Family Month' without LGBTQ+ or single parents
A bill introduced by Republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives would define the weeks between Mother's Day and Father's Day as Natural Family Month, and exclude LGBTQ+ families, NBC News reports. A right-wing pro-natalist advocacy group reportedly lobbied for the bill. House Bill 262, entitled the 'Designate Natural Family Month' bill, was co-sponsored by Republican state Reps. Josh Williams and Beth Lear. The pair introduced it on May 13, saying the bill addresses falling birth rates in the country by promoting a return to the two-parent household. Related: Ohio appeals court strikes down ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth 'With America facing declining birth rates and a shrinking population, we can no longer afford to ignore the foundational role that strong families play in sustaining our future,' Williams said in a statement. '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. We must use every tool at our disposal to support the families that are building the next generation of Americans.' 'The weeks from Mother's Day, which is the second Sunday in May, to Father's Day, which is the third Sunday in June, shall be designated as 'Natural Family Month,'' the text of the bill reads, not specifically discriminating against LGBTQ+ or single families, but Williams does not shy away from the bill's ultimate aim. Related: Ohio Democrats call out GOP for targeting LGBTQ+ people He confirmed that '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' in an emailed statement to NBC News. The Natural Family Foundation, a pro-natalist group, reportedly lobbied for the bill, The Buckeye Flame reports. The group celebrated 'Natural Family Month' in a post to social media two days before the legislation was introduced. 'Today is the start of the Natural Family Celebration from Mother's Day through Father's Day,' the group declared. The Natural Family Foundation | Today is the start of the Natural Family Celebration from Mother's Day through Father' Day | Facebook A more recent post by the group linked to their recent 'Mother's Day sermon' that was addressed to both 'moms everywhere' and the state's 'wicked governor,' and added, 'May Christ be praised!' Related: The far-right group that wants to end marriage equality once and for all Dwayne Steward, director of Equality Ohio, said the bill 'takes direct aim' at queer families in Ohio. 'It not only invalidates the existence of single parents and countless other caregivers, but it takes direct aim at LGBTQ+ families across our state,' Steward told the Flame. 'The so-called 'Natural Family Foundation,' the group pushing this legislation, has made their ideology clear: if you're not a heterosexual, monogamous couple with children, you don't count as a family at all.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio GOP bill imagines 'Natural Family Month' without LGBTQ+ or single parents
A bill introduced by Republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives would define the weeks between Mother's Day and Father's Day as Natural Family Month, and exclude LGBTQ+ families, NBC News reports. A right-wing pro-natalist advocacy group reportedly lobbied for the bill. House Bill 262, entitled the 'Designate Natural Family Month' bill, was co-sponsored by Republican state Reps. Josh Williams and Beth Lear. The pair introduced it on May 13, saying the bill addresses falling birth rates in the country by promoting a return to the two-parent household. Related: Ohio appeals court strikes down ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth 'With America facing declining birth rates and a shrinking population, we can no longer afford to ignore the foundational role that strong families play in sustaining our future,' Williams said in a statement. '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. We must use every tool at our disposal to support the families that are building the next generation of Americans.' 'The weeks from Mother's Day, which is the second Sunday in May, to Father's Day, which is the third Sunday in June, shall be designated as 'Natural Family Month,'' the text of the bill reads, not specifically discriminating against LGBTQ+ or single families, but Williams does not shy away from the bill's ultimate aim. Related: Ohio Democrats call out GOP for targeting LGBTQ+ people He confirmed that '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' in an emailed statement to NBC News. The Natural Family Foundation, a pro-natalist group, reportedly lobbied for the bill, The Buckeye Flame reports. The group celebrated 'Natural Family Month' in a post to social media two days before the legislation was introduced. 'Today is the start of the Natural Family Celebration from Mother's Day through Father's Day,' the group declared. The Natural Family Foundation | Today is the start of the Natural Family Celebration from Mother's Day through Father' Day | Facebook A more recent post by the group linked to their recent 'Mother's Day sermon' that was addressed to both 'moms everywhere' and the state's 'wicked governor,' and added, 'May Christ be praised!' Related: The far-right group that wants to end marriage equality once and for all Dwayne Steward, director of Equality Ohio, said the bill 'takes direct aim' at queer families in Ohio. 'It not only invalidates the existence of single parents and countless other caregivers, but it takes direct aim at LGBTQ+ families across our state,' Steward told the Flame. 'The so-called 'Natural Family Foundation,' the group pushing this legislation, has made their ideology clear: if you're not a heterosexual, monogamous couple with children, you don't count as a family at all.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio bill to celebrate ‘natural family' month excludes LGBTQ+, single parents
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A new Ohio bill plans to designate a month celebrating 'natural families' with 'a clear male leader,' legislation that a leading advocacy group said invalidates single parents and 'takes direct aim at LGBTQ+ families.' House Bill 262 was introduced at the Ohio Statehouse on May 13 to recognize the weeks between Mother's Day and Father's Day as 'Natural Family Month.' The proposal is backed by the Natural Family Foundation, a Westerville-based organization that defines a 'natural family' as one man and one woman 'committed in a lifelong monogamous relationship' with their 'biological or adopted children.' Why this transgender Ohioan says he's leaving the state 'For society to survive, the fabric must be mended by readjusting the social constraints/contracts to once again favor the age-old natural family prototype,' the foundation's site states, noting that, 'Within the family there must be a clear male leader and that leader must come from the family's lineage.' The foundation didn't respond to NBC4's request for comment. Dwayne Steward, executive director of Equality Ohio, condemned H.B. 262 as 'discriminatory, dehumanizing legislation,' and 'a calculated act of strategic erasure.' 'It not only invalidates the existence of single parents and countless other caregivers, but it takes direct aim at LGBTQ+ families,' Steward said. 'The so-called 'Natural Family Foundation,' the group pushing this legislation, has made their ideology clear: if you're not a heterosexual, monogamous couple with children — led by a biological male from the family lineage — you don't count as a family at all. As an adoptive parent, myself, I feel this erasure personally.' More than 23% of households in Ohio include single parents, U.S. Census data shows. A report from the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles found Ohio's LGBTQ+ population is the sixth largest in the nation, with about 557,000 adults identifying within the community. 'This should be a welcoming state:' DeWine denies claim of 'anti-LGBTQ+ climate' in Ohio H.B. 262 comes ahead of LGBTQ+ Pride Month in June and the 10th anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 decision establishing the right to same-sex marriage. Reps. Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) introduced the bill with the support of 26 Republican lawmakers, and argue the designation is needed given the U.S. fertility rate recently reached a historic low. '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, and absolutely imperative if we want to maintain a healthy and stable republic,' Lear said. Williams argues H.B. 262 would promote 'the economic and social stability that comes from raising children in healthy, two-parent households.' 'With America facing declining birth rates and a shrinking population, we can no longer afford to ignore the foundational role that strong families play in sustaining our future,' Williams said. 'We must use every tool at our disposal to support the families that are building the next generation of Americans.' Ohio mayors urge more communities to ban anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy The bill adds to the list of Statehouse legislation that opponents deem 'anti-LGBTQ+,' like a law banning gender-affirming care for trans youth that is currently in effect while litigation continues. Another is a measure that went into effect in February requiring academic institutions to set separate bathrooms based on students' 'biological sex.' Watch a report of some Ohio mayors calling for an end to conversion therapy in the video player above. A law coined by supporters as 'The Parents' Bill of Rights' requires teachers to notify parents before teaching 'sexuality content' and of changes in a student's mental, emotional or physical health. A national crisis hotline said it received a significant increase in calls from LGBTQ+ youth in Ohio within hours after Gov. Mike DeWine signed it into law. Lawmakers have also debated a proposal to ban universities from asking students their preferred pronouns and another penalizing school districts that use students' chosen name and pronouns without parental permission. Williams reintroduced a bill in April that opponents argue will amount to a ban of drag queens in public. Still, when asked in March to respond to claims that Ohio is fostering an unfriendly climate for LGBTQ+ residents, DeWine said he 'would totally disagree with that.' 'I don't think we have done that,' he said. 'Look, you go back and look at everything that I have said as governor, in 'State of the State' speeches and other times, this should be a welcoming state. We want everybody to come to Ohio and feel welcomed in the state.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Republicans introduce 'Natural Family Month' bill, excluding LGBTQ families
More than two dozen Ohio lawmakers are supporting a bill that would designate the weeks between Mother's Day and Father's Day 'Natural Family Month.' Though the bill, introduced by Republican state Reps. Josh Williams and Beth Lear, doesn't define 'natural family' in its text, critics say it is intended to exclude LGBTQ families and promote marriage and childrearing between heterosexual, monogamous couples only. When asked whether 'Natural Family Month' will also recognize gay couples and parents with adopted children, Williams said in an emailed statement to NBC News that '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 added, 'This is not about discriminating against other family structures, but about supporting the one most directly tied to the creation and raising of children.' Lear did not return a request for comment. After introducing the bill earlier this week, Williams and Lear said in joint statements that the initiative is intended to promote child rearing. '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, and absolutely imperative if we want to maintain a healthy and stable Republic,' Lear said. As of Friday, the bill had 26 additional Republican co-sponsors. Dwayne Steward, the director of statewide LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Ohio, told a local queer news site that the bill is both bad policy and a 'calculated act of strategic erasure.' 'It not only invalidates the existence of single parents and countless other caregivers, but it takes direct aim at LGBTQ+ families across our state,' Steward told the Buckeye Flame. 'The so-called 'Natural Family Foundation,' the group pushing this legislation, has made their ideology clear: if you're not a heterosexual, monogamous couple with children, you don't count as a family at all.' Steward, who did not immediately return NBC News' request for comment, added, 'As an adoptive parent, myself, I feel this erasure personally. This bill is not just offensive; it's dangerous.' Several local news websites, including the Buckeye Flame, reported that the Natural Family Foundation, a conservative advocacy group that is against same-sex marriage and promotes families with a 'clear male leader,' was involved in lobbying for the bill. The foundation did not immediately return a request for comment. Last year, Ohio considered eight bills targeting LGBTQ people, according to a tally by the American Civil Liberties Union. Two of those — a provision that requires school personnel to notify parents of 'any request by a student to identify as a gender that does not align with the student's' birth sex, and a measure that prohibits certain transition-related medical care for minors — became law. This article was originally published on
