US state moves to remove 'mother' and 'father' labels and replace with more inclusive terms

New York state is set to remove the words "mother" and "father" from parts of its legal code, replacing them with gender-neutral alternatives, after the state legislature passed a bill that will now go to Governor Kathy Hochul for approval.

The measure, which passed the Senate 38-23 on June 2, updates terminology across family court, domestic relations, social services, education and other statutes.

Under the changes, "mother" would become "gestating parent", "father" would become "non-gestating parent" or "parent", and "paternity" would be replaced with "parentage".

The term "putative father" would become "alleged parent". If signed by Hochul, the language changes would take effect on November 1.

She has ten days to sign or veto the bill. When asked about it at an unrelated event in Brooklyn, Hochul, who has previously referred to herself as New York's "first mom governor", said she was not yet familiar with the bill and would review it.

The bill was introduced by senator Luis R. Sepúlveda (creative commons)

Supporters of the legislation say it updates New York's legal language to better reflect the range of modern family structures, including same-sex couples, adoptive families, surrogacy arrangements and assisted reproduction.

The bill was sponsored by state Senator Luis Sepúlveda, a Bronx Democrat who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, a Westchester Democrat.

Speaking to the New York Post, Sepúlveda said the bill "was needed to be consistent with current statute and case law."

Adoption lawyer Leslie Silver-Hoffman backed the reasoning, telling the Post: "You have adoptive parents who are of the same gender in New York. There are two male parents, two female parents."

She said the existing terminology is outdated given the growth in same-sex adoptions and surrogacy arrangements.

A memo accompanying the bill states the change brings state law into line with how family courts already handle surrogacy cases and cases involving same-sex parents.

The bill has drawn significant criticism from Republican politicians and conservative figures, who argue it is an unnecessary use of legislative time at a moment when New Yorkers are facing a cost of living crisis.

Gerard Kassar, chairman of the New York Conservative Party, called it "woke culture run amok" and "an unnecessary and wasteful use of time," warning it could deter people from moving to the state and predicting it would trigger a wave of similar legislation.

Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick has voted against the bill (Creative commons)

Republican state Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, who voted against the bill, said: "At a time when New Yorkers are being crushed by utility bills, rising costs, and public safety concerns, Albany Democrats have decided one of their final priorities should be replacing mothers and fathers in state law.

"That is not what families are asking for. I am a mother and proud to be called 'mother.'"

US Representative Claudia Tenney called mothers "the foundation of families and society" and said the bill was "yet another example of out-of-touch politicians prioritising progressive ideology over the issues that actually matter to hardworking New Yorkers."

Bruce Blakeman described the bill as 'a declaration of war on New York's families' (Photo by BG048/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

"A declaration of war on New York families"

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman went further, describing the bill as "a declaration of war on New York families" and vowing to reverse it if elected governor.

Not all criticism came from Republicans.

One Democratic lawmaker, speaking anonymously to the New York Post, said simply: "I have a word we can use for this: 'unnecessary.'"

State Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo, a Republican from Staten Island, was more blunt: "This bill is not a mother and father thing. It's not a gay thing. It's a stupidity thing."

The bill is part of a broader trend of gender-neutral legislative updates in New York.

In 2023, Governor Hochul approved a measure requiring all state laws and regulations to use gender-neutral pronouns, and in 2018 the city approved a law allowing residents to select a non-binary "X" category on their birth certificates.