One video on Instagram suggested this was part of a concerted effort in U.S. states led by Republicans to "delegitimize Pride Month," which the federal government has recognized as a celebration of gay people since 1999 (since then, presidents have expanded the scope to include trans and queer people).
The same claim appeared on Reddit and X, and Snopes readers emailed and searched the website seeking to confirm the story was real.
In sum, the rumor was true. On June 1, 2026, Braun posted on X an image showing a proclamation he signed that declared June to be "Nuclear Family Month" in Indiana.
We reached out to the governor's office, asking what motivated the change and how he responded to criticism that the timing of his proclamation sought to undermine other types of families and people of varying sexual orientations and gender identities. We will update this story should we receive a response.
It was not clear that this declaration changed anything in practice, however. June remained Pride Month across the U.S., and Pride events were still scheduled to take place in Indiana.
"Declaring 'Nuclear Family Month' on June 1st is an aesthetic signal, not a substantive policy," Alex Richardson, who chairs the board of directors of Indy Pride — the organization that coordinates LGBTQ+ Pride events in Central Indiana every June — told Snopes in an emailed statement. "Signals matter and we have noticed this one, but we're carrying on Indy Pride's work with the community."
In his proclamation, Braun defined "nuclear family" as "one husband, one wife, and any biological, adopted, or fostered children," calling it "God's design for the family structure and has been the foundation of society since the creation of the world" (archived):
On the same day, Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith posted the proclamation on X formatted as part of a different, more colorful image titled "TAKE BACK the Rainbow!" (archived):
"And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth." 🌈
Genesis 9:12-13… pic.twitter.com/qJ3Jo6ayxU— TheMicahBeckwith (@MicahBeckwith) June 2, 2026
The rainbow flag has long been a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride. The slogan on Beckwith's image lent some credence to claims that the proclamation sought to delegitimize nontraditional families and people of different sexual orientations and gender identities. We reached out to Beckwith's office to ask whether that was the message he was sending.
Braun's proclamation came less than two months after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, also a Republican, signed his state legislature's resolution to make June "Nuclear Family Month," using similar language.
On June 2, in response to criticism that his proclamation was exclusionary, Braun said it intended to send "no message other than 'the nuclear family is important'" (at the 1:58 mark):
While Braun declared June "Nuclear Family Month" in Indiana, the month was still dedicated to LGBTQ+ Pride at the federal level, though in January 2025, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declared cultural awareness months "dead at DoD" and the Department of Education recognized June as "Title IX Month" for the second year in a row.
Meanwhile, a review of the calendar on the Indy Pride website (Pride in Central Indiana) revealed its various celebrations were still on the schedule, showing no indication that its events faced cancellation as a result of the proclamation.
Richardson told Snopes the declaration had not changed anything for his group's June 2026 program. "Indy Pride has spent 31 years building space across Central Indiana where every queer Hoosier and every family that loves them is seen and celebrated," he said. "That work continues this month, and we invite everyone to find their local Pride (in Indiana and beyond) and show up."
For further reading, Snopes debunked the claim President Donald Trump canceled Pride Month in April 2026. Further, we explained in 2025 how June became Pride Month in the U.S.