Albany erased 'mother' and 'father' from state law. Here's what that really means
On June 2, the New York State Legislature passed bill A8382A/S9316 and sent it to Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY). The legislation systematically removes the words “mother” and “father” from New York’s Family Court Act, domestic relations law, child support statutes, and education law. It replaces them with the clinical terms “gestating parent” and “non-gestating parent.” “Paternity” becomes “parentage,” and a “putative father” is now an “alleged parent.”
TL;DR
- New York bill A8382A/S9316 replaces "mother" and "father" with "gestating parent" and "non-gestating parent."
- Supporters call it a technical update, but critics argue it's deliberate linguistic substitution.
- The author compares this to authoritarian regimes using language as a weapon to reshape reality.
- The words "mother" and "father" hold deep cultural and emotional significance across civilizations.
- The bill is seen as an attempt to control thought by controlling language, reminiscent of Orwell's Newspeak.
- Critics argue the bill adds no new rights and is a symbolic erasure, potentially condescending to some gay and lesbian citizens.
- The author calls for Governor Hochul to veto the bill, emphasizing the defense of fundamental human language.