Lawmakers in New York have approved a bill that would replace certain gender-specific terms in state child custody, parental and family laws with gender-neutral language.
The legislation, passed by the Democratic-controlled state legislature, seeks to update legal terminology to reflect diverse family structures and parental identities.
Under the bill, the term “mother” would be replaced with “gestating parent” in relevant sections of state law, while “father” would be substituted with “non-gestating parent” or simply “parent”.
The proposal also provides that paternity proceedings used to determine a child’s biological father would be renamed “parentage” proceedings.
Similarly, the term “putative father,” commonly used in legal records to refer to an alleged biological father, would be changed to “alleged parent”.
The bill was sponsored by State Senator Luis Sepúlveda and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and now awaits the approval of Governor Kathy Hochul before it can become law.
Supporters of the measure say the changes are intended to make state laws more inclusive and reflective of modern family arrangements.
However, the legislation has generated criticism from conservative groups and Republican lawmakers, who argue that it focuses on social issues rather than pressing economic and public safety concerns.
Chairman of the Conservative Party of New York State, Gerard Kassar, described the bill as an example of misplaced priorities.
“It is an unnecessary use of legislative time when there are more urgent issues affecting residents,” he said.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman also criticised the measure, saying it undermined traditional family values.
Some Republican lawmakers who opposed the bill argued that New Yorkers were more concerned about issues such as taxation, the cost of living and public safety than changes to legal terminology.
The bill is the latest in a series of measures adopted in New York aimed at expanding the use of gender-neutral language in government policies and official documents.
In 2023, the state approved legislation requiring laws, regulations and official documents to use gender-neutral pronouns where appropriate.
New York City had earlier introduced an “X” gender marker on birth certificates for individuals who identify as non-binary.
If signed into law, the latest measure would further align New York’s family law framework with broader efforts to adopt inclusive language across public institutions.
