(LifeSiteNews) — The New York state legislature passed a bill that replaces the words “mother” and “father” with “gestating parent” and “non-gestating parent” in child custody and parental laws.
The gender-neutral terms, reminiscent of the dystopian fiction Brave New World, would be included in domestic and education law under the bill, according to the New York Post.
“‘Paternity’ proceedings to determine a child’s biological father would meanwhile become ‘parentage’ cases,” the Post explained. In addition, “a ‘putative father’ — also known as a deadbeat dad — would now be called ‘an alleged parent’ in official state records.”
The bill passed this week and heads to the desk of Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul for ratification. She has been unclear about whether she will sign off on the legislation.
“Well, I’m not familiar with what was introduced,” Hochul said at an event in Brooklyn on Wednesday. “I’ll take a look at it. This has been my practice for five years.”
State Conservative Party chairman Gerard Kassar believes the bill, if passed, will trigger a slew of other similar gender-neutral term mandates.
“It’s woke culture run amok. It’s one-upmanship,” he said.
“Imagine people who are considering moving to New York seeing this and saying, ‘Do I need this silliness?’ This is a really weird group of elected officials. It comes out of left field,” Kassar said.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman denounced the bill as “insanity” and pledged to oppose such moves if elected governor.
“Democrats led by Kathy Hochul have continued their declaration of war on New York families by canceling the loving terms of Mom and Dad and replacing them with ‘gestating and non-gestating parent,’” Blakeman said in a statement. “The insanity ends when I’m Governor.”
A memo accompanying the legislation says the change is needed to align with standards for family court cases involving same-sex parents and surrogate parents.
Adoption lawyers said Wednesday that use of the words “mother” and “father” in family law is outdated because of the growing number of homosexual couple adoptions and surrogacy contracts.
Republican legislators have criticized the bill as absurd.
“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 in the last days of session should be replacing mothers and fathers in state law,” said Republican Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick of Nassau. “That is not what families are asking for. I am a mother and proud to be called ‘mother.’”