A battle over family language in New York law is escalating after officials in the nation’s largest township moved to formally oppose legislation that would replace the terms “mother” and “father” with gender-neutral alternatives.
According to Fox News, the dispute centers on a bill recently passed by the New York State Legislature that would change references in state law.
Under the proposal, “mother” would become “gestating parent,” “father” would become “non-gestating parent,” and “paternity” would be replaced with “parentage.”
Supporters of the legislation say the changes are designed to make state law more inclusive of people with non-traditional gender identities.
The bill is now awaiting action from Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
But officials in Hempstead Township are pushing back.
Town Supervisor John Ferretti said the proposal prompted an immediate reaction from his family after he learned about it.
“As a father of two, it was an insult to me and to my wife,” Ferretti told Fox News Digital.
He said he showed the legislation to his wife and discussed what it would mean.
“As soon as I learned, the first thing I did was bring my wife into our bedroom and say, ‘Look what they did up in Albany. They’re eliminating the terms mother and father from state law.'”
According to Ferretti, his 9-year-old daughter overheard the conversation and became concerned.
“Can I still call you dad?” she asked.
“It really hit close to home,” Ferretti said. “We need to take a stand in the Town of Hempstead, the largest township in America, and make sure that we make it clear not just to residents in the Town of Hempstead, but to residents throughout New York State, that we won’t stand for this kind of woke nonsense.”
Hochul has until the end of the year to decide whether to sign or veto the bill. Asked about the measure last week, she said she had not yet reviewed it.
“I have until the end of the year to review them and make a decision, so I won’t be commenting on pending legislation,” Hochul said.
Ferretti said Hempstead’s emergency resolution is intended to preserve the use of “mother” and “father” in township laws and policies regardless of what happens at the state level.
“We’re taking a stand because we will not allow woke Democrat liberals in New York State and the New York State Legislature to erase the traditional family,” Ferretti said.
He argued lawmakers could have added language without replacing existing terms.
“If Albany wanted to add additional language to their state laws, they could have added additional language, and we would not be discussing this right now,” he said. “Instead, they chose to erase mother and father and replace it, and we won’t stand for that.”
The township’s stance has drawn support from several Republican officials in Nassau County, including Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra, state Sen. Steve Rhoads, and Assemblywoman Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.
