AFPI Condemns New York Effort to Erase “Mother” and “Father” from State Law

Washington, D.C. – America First Policy Institute (AFPI) strongly condemns that New York lawmakers have advanced a bill that would replace the word “mother” with “gestating parent” and “father” with “non-gestating parent” in state law. This is not a harmless terminology change — it is another example of elected officials turning their backs on the fundamental truth about motherhood, fatherhood, and the family itself in pursuit of a radical agenda.

“Only in New York could politicians look at falling birth rates, struggling families, and a generation of young women searching for purpose and decide the real problem is the word ‘mother,’” said Ashley Hayek, Executive Vice President of the America First Policy Institute and mother of five. “Motherhood is not a medical condition to be renamed by bureaucrats. It is one of the most important roles in society, and Americans know the difference between respecting every person and pretending mothers no longer exist.”

“Removing ‘father’ from state law is an attempt to erase something irreplaceable,” said Jack Brewer, Chair for Opportunity Now and Vice Chair for 1776. “A father’s presence gives children stability, discipline, and a model of responsibility that no one else can provide. We must reject any ideology that strips away the truth of what a father is.”

This bill is part of an intentional, coordinated effort by America-last politicians to strip away common sense from our laws and weaken the moral and cultural foundations that hold communities together. By redefining mother and father, lawmakers are diluting the fundamental role of each and sending a message that ideology matters more than truth.

Americans deserve leaders who champion America First policies that will strengthen families, respect biological reality, and affirm the roles that help children thrive. AFPI is dedicated to policies that prioritize marriage, family, and children. Click here to learn more.