Cory Soller, co-chair of Michigan City Pride, remains undeterred by statements from Indiana’s political leaders during Pride month. To Soller, these statements lack significance. A tile cross in transgender pride colors was displayed near the altar during the Transgender Day of Remembrance ceremony at Metropolitan Community Church in Portage on November 20, 2025.
“You can call it by any other name, but to the people who celebrate Pride month, it does not matter,” Soller said. “Part of the difference in what we do versus what the governor has done is we are building bridges. We’re inviting. … He’s building up walls.”
On Monday, Governor Mike Braun declared June as “nuclear family month” in Indiana. LGBTQ+ activists and leaders view this as an attack, with some considering it a political tactic to divert attention from state issues such as rising living costs.
Governor Braun emphasized the role of families across generations in his social media post. The proclamation was seen by many as an affront to Pride month celebrations by prioritizing a specific family structure. Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith supported the proclamation, highlighting benefits he claims come with nuclear families.
“This isn’t about any other statement other than that the nuclear family is important,” Braun stated during a Tuesday news conference.
However, U.S. Census data reveals only about 18% of Indiana’s families fit the nuclear family model. Soller argued that Braun’s proclamation marginalizes over 80% of Hoosiers, including LGBTQ+ families, single parents, and grandparents raising children.
Michigan City Pride Fest aims to be inclusive, welcoming families of all kinds. It will take place from 1 to 8 p.m. on June 13 at Guy Foreman Amphitheatre.
Indiana Democratic Party Chair Karen Tallian criticized the proclamation, questioning Braun’s timing and intent. She labeled it a distraction from pressing issues like poverty, education, and healthcare.
“This whole proclamation is pretty much a foolish response to what’s really going on in Indiana,” Tallian remarked.
Leah Peksenak, of Northwest Indiana Pridefest, observed the pattern of such proclamations during Pride month, noting they echo calls for straight pride. She insists the dominant culture doesn’t need special celebration months.
“Pride month is about joy and resistance and the joy of resistance,” Peksenak stated.
Northwest Indiana Pridefest will occur from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on June 6 and 7 at Sunset Hill Farm County Park in Valparaiso.
Research suggests two-parent households benefit children, with gay men showing the lowest divorce rates. Peksenak addressed this in response to claims about the superiority of nuclear families.
Peksenak collaborates with interfaith groups to draft a counter-proclamation addressing state leaders’ statements. This effort underscores the community’s resilience against divisive rhetoric.
Indiana Youth Group’s Zoe O’Haillen-Berne expressed concern over the proclamation’s impact on LGBTQ+ youth. She described seeing youth affected by exclusionary language from leaders.
“It seems so unnecessary to uplift one family structure while intentionally making another feel less than,” O’Haillen-Berne said.
LGBTQ+ Outreach of Porter County shared its disappointment through a statement denouncing the timing of Braun’s proclamation.
“Government proclamations should acknowledge and celebrate that diversity rather than imply that some families are more legitimate or worthy of recognition than others,” their statement reads.
Indivisible NWI President Kim Eldridge echoed similar concerns regarding how the proclamation might affect the future of LGBTQ+ rights in Indiana.
Eldridge criticized what she views as messaging that diminishes women’s role in society, pointing to pressures from politicians to increase birth rates.
Despite leadership challenges, Eldridge believes most Indiana residents value inclusivity and reject divisive policies.
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