Lawmaker proposes ‘Nuclear Family’ month. Fresno detractors say it attacks Pride
The Fresno County supervisor who has taken the firmest stance against recognizing June as Pride Month has floated a proposal to mark the month as “Traditional Nuclear Family Month.”
Supervisor Garry Bredefeld announced his intention in a Facebook post June 6 in which he said, “Our values, our families and our children are under constant attack,” while sharing the resolution. He declined to comment to The Bee beyond the post.
“It’s long past overdue to publicly and proudly recognize and celebrate the nuclear family, traditional values, and the critical importance of both mothers and fathers for the healthy development of our children,” he said in the post.
The idea caught on recently among lawmakers in states like Tennessee and Alabama.
The resolution described the nuclear family as consisting of one woman, one man and their children. It does not include single mothers, stepparents or same-sex couples in the recognition.
“The traditional nuclear family was the basic building block of Fresno County’s society throughout her formative years; and the traditional nuclear family built the United States of America and created prosperity within our nation,” the resolution says.
Bredefeld has also been the most vocal opponent of the LGBTQ+ community, which he has often accused of indoctrinating children. He pushed a new policy in the county to give the county’s elected officials greater control of what holidays are recognized by county employees on the clock.
His proposal also sets the recognition for June, which has long been the time of year when many communities celebrate Pride Month, which is set in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Library of Congress notes the month honors those lost to AIDS or hate crimes as well and celebrates the historical impacts of the members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The newly proposed nuclear family policy also repeats the indoctrination accusation. The resolution describes the kind of gender-affirming surgery that a trans person may undergo as “genital mutilation,” comparing a medical decision made between a patient and their physician to a type of non-medical act that is sometimes carried out in extremist religious communities.
The proposal could draw a number of detractors and supporters for the meeting. Area residents from both sides of the arguments have already begun to weigh in through emails to the board. Many said the timing in June was an attack on Pride Month.
“Roads, housing, water, electricity, wages, rent, groceries, gasoline, mental health, healthcare, guns, criminals, animal control. This is what is important to taxpayers in the Central Valley,” Sharron Gumber-Carter wrote in an email. “Get your head into reality mode. Your ideas about the LGBTQ community are offensive and have no place in your county supervisor position.”
Some residents pointed to their families that did not fit the “nuclear family” definition.
“My son passed away (two) years ago, and my (two) grandchildren are now alone with their mother. She is a wonderful parent!” Carol Lopez Doerksen wrote. “How dare Bredefeld condemn my grandchildren to the horrors he described in his resolution because they do not have a father.”
The proposal has support as well.
“Designating a month to honor the nuclear family can promote policies that support family stability, such as parental leave, childcare support, and educational initiatives,” Linda Whitaker wrote. “It encourages discussions around the benefits of traditional family dynamics, including emotional support, economic stability, and child development.”
The proposal is set to go before the Board of Supervisors for a vote during the regular meeting 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Hall of Records, 2281 Tulare St.
