Tennessee residents are now reacting after the state’s governor, Bill Lee, signed a new resolution designating June “Nuclear Family Month” in place of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. While the resolution states that the nuclear family “is under attack” and that the government is moving to “uplift, protect, and support values that help Tennessee prosper,” some people are questioning why this is even a priority given the issues the state is currently facing.
One Tennessee resident, who identified himself as a gay man living in the state and goes by @andstand89 on TikTok, said he found it “hilarious” that the government is focused on replacing Pride Month when a significant portion of the population still struggles with poverty and access to basic services.
“We are ranked one of the lowest in healthcare, in education, and this is the priority,” he said in a TikTok video. “The fact that Tennesseans can’t live in this state and afford basic needs is actually anti family. That’s the real truth.”
Another individual, @dpickel28 on TikTok, also argued that if supporters of the bill want to promote their own values, they are free to organize their own initiatives without scrapping what already exists. “Why are people so worried about what somebody else does?” the resident asked. “I don’t care what you do… You certainly shouldn’t be worried about what I’m doing.”
Netizens Echoed the Same Sentiment
The criticism extended into the comments, where netizens shared a mix of frustration and disbelief. Some questioned the government’s priorities outright. “Farmers can’t afford fertiliser, almost 700,000 people rely on SNAP… But yeah, pride month is the issue,” one person wrote. Another added, “They’re out here making bills for Straight Pride meanwhile almost 10% of Tennesseans don’t have health insurance, the price of gas has skyrocketed, we’re being flooded with data centers, and groceries are more expensive than ever.”
Some even ridiculed the governor. “You can always count on Bill to tackle the hard issues. 🙄 He’s such a JOKE,” one comment read. Another said, “Anything but legislate things that would help Tennesseans.” A third asked, “Like, aren’t we at war!? 😂 what is going on?” while a fourth remarked, “Our government here in Nashville sucks.”
So far, reactions to the Tennessee resolution have been mixed, though in some parts of the internet, it has received an overwhelmingly positive response.
