Louisville’s ABC affiliate reports:

Kentucky’s governor signed a proclamation Friday recognizing June as Pride Month. Gov. Andy Beshear was the first sitting Kentucky governor to recognize June as Pride Month, according to the governor’s office.

“I believe all children are children of God – no exceptions, no asterisks,” he said. “I made a pledge to fight for every single Kentuckian, every single day. Our LGBTQ+ community deserves to have their rights protected, and I will always stand firm on my values of compassion, empathy and doing what’s right to protect them.”

In 2025, global organization Out Leadership recognized Kentucky as the state with the most significant improvement in the LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index, a spokesperson for the governor’s office said. The index measures how welcoming states are for LGBTQ+ Americans to live and work. And in 2026, Beshear received the National Allyship Award from the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.

Via press release:

Gov. Beshear highlighted steps he’s taken: In 2021, the Governor proclaimed June as Pride Month for the first time in the commonwealth.

Gov. Beshear was the first sitting Governor in Kentucky’s history to participate in and speak at the annual Statewide Fairness Rally at the Capitol. He has attended every single Statewide Fairness Rally since taking office.

In 2024, Gov. Beshear signed an executive order officially banning the practice of conversion therapy on minors in the state of Kentucky, citing that it “has no basis in medicine or science, and it can cause significant long-term harm to our kids.”

In 2023, Gov. Beshear vetoed legislation banning access to gender-affirming healthcare and restricting bathroom access.

In 2025, the Governor vetoed legislation that sought to overturn his executive order banning conversion therapy on minors and prevent Medicaid from covering gender-affirming healthcare.