New York Bill Replaces Mom And Dad With Gender-Neutral Terms

New York lawmakers passed a bill that replaces the terms "mother" and "father" with gender-neutral alternatives.

This bill, which has been sent to Gov. Kathy Hochul's desk, aims to help make custody law more inclusive for LGBTQ+ parents and families who use assisted reproduction or surrogacy.

New York bill would replace 'mother' and 'father' with gender-neutral terms in family law

This bill hopes to modernize state child custody, child support, and domestic relations statutes.

Critics say the change is "unnecessary" and the update erases traditional family terminology.

For all the news that the Hudson Valley is sharing, make sure to follow Hudson Valley Post on Facebook, and download the Hudson Valley Post Mobile App

Supporters say this law aligns language with modern family structures and existing case law. They add that it makes custody and parental laws inclusive for LGBTQ+ families, same-sex couples, and parents using surrogacy or assisted reproduction.

Key Legal Terminology Changes

If signed into law, the bill updates the New York Family Court Act and related family law statutes with the following changes:

• "Mother" becomes "Gestating parent."
• "Father" becomes "Non-gestating parent."
• "Paternity" proceedings become "Parentage" proceedings."
• Putative father" becomes "Alleged parent."

The change only applies to official state court filings, custody paperwork, child support orders, and legal documents.

It does not stop New Yorkers from using "mother," "father," "mom," or "dad" (etc) in their daily lives.

It's unclear as of this writing if Hochul will sign the bill. If she does, the changes are scheduled to take effect on November 1, 2026.

“The Governor believes mothers are mothers and fathers are fathers, and no legislation changes that. The legislation, which we will review, appears to address technical legal issues related to surrogacy and parentage. Anyone making bad-faith arguments is deliberately misleading New Yorkers for political gain," Hochul's office said in a statement.

These Baby Names Are No Longer Legal In New York

LOOK: Baby names losing popularity in the 21st century