Blue State Passes Bill Stripping Words ‘Mother,’ ‘Father.’ Here’s What’s Replacing Them. | WLT Report Skip to main content
We may receive compensation from affiliate partners for some links on this site. Read our full Disclosure here.

Blue State Passes Bill Stripping Words ‘Mother,’ ‘Father.’ Here’s What’s Replacing Them.


Zohran Mamdani might be doing all he can to take New York City off the far-left cliff, but his fellow Democrats at the state level are giving him a run for his money.

News this week from the Empire State confirmed that the Democrat-led state legislature passed a bill that, if signed into law by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, will remove the words “mother” and “father” from official documents related to custody and other family matters.

Although the woke ideology that fueled similar “gender-neutral” pushes in recent years has seemingly moderated since President Trump was re-elected, the New York Post revealed that it is still alive and well in Albany:

“Mother” would be replaced with “gestating parent” while “father” becomes “non-gestating parent” or “parent” in family court along with in domestic and education law, under the legislation, passed this week by state Democrats.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Paternity” proceedings to determine a child’s biological father would meanwhile become “parentage” cases, under the bill, which was rammed through the Assembly in March and of the Senate this week.

A “putative father” — also known as a deadbeat dad — would now be called “an alleged parent” in official state records, under the bill, which was sponsored by liberals Sen. Luis Sepulveda (D-Bronx) and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Westchester) and will go to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk for approval.

“It’s woke culture run amok. It’s one-upmanship,” said state Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar, a former longtime state Senate and Assembly staffer.

The development naturally sparked a wave of disapproving social media comments:

The Washington Examiner added these details:

Now, Hochul has 10 days to either sign the changes into law or veto the legislation. If approved, the changes would take effect Nov. 1.

If signed by Hochul, the bill would revise parental terminology across multiple sections of New York law but would not alter existing parental rights, obligations, or family court.

ADVERTISEMENT

Empire State Democrats argue the measure modernizes New York law to reflect the realities of same-sex couples, adoptive families, surrogacy arrangements, and other family structures recognized in the state. The bill’s sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Luis Sepulveda of the Bronx, has argued that the changes are intended to align statutory language with existing court decisions and family practices. 

Republicans were quick to criticize the legislation, arguing that lawmakers should focus on affordability, public safety, and other issues facing New Yorkers rather than rewriting legal terminology. 

Conner Dunleavy, a Republican candidate challenging the chair of the state Assembly’s judicial committee who approved the bill, told the Washington Examinerthe state legislature’s move “serves to undermine our families.” He said New York families are facing bigger challenges than legal terminology.

“[Their] priorities are totally out of whack,” Dunleavy said. “They’re focused on things like removing the words mother and father from state law and replacing them with ridiculous terms like gestating and non-gestating parent.”

“It’s not addressing our affordability crisis that we definitely have in the state, it’s not addressing our record-high taxes, it’s not addressing the insane costs of utilities, it’s doing nothing to help families, and it’s doing everything to erase us from the picture,” he added.

Here’s some additional coverage:



 

Join the conversation!

Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!

Leave a comment
Thanks for sharing!