In a move to modernize family terminology, Massachusetts has passed House Bill 4750, which replaces “mother” and “father” on birth certificates with “person who gave birth” and “other parent.” The state Senate approved the bill, and it now awaits the governor’s signature to become law.
State Rep. Hannah Kane (R) championed the bill, receiving support from the Massachusetts Women’s Caucus. “The Women’s Caucus endorsed this bill … because we know that there are many paths to parenthood, and our laws need to be updated to reflect the diversity of families,” Kane said.
Supporters argue that the bill addresses the evolving definitions of family, providing legal clarity for children born through assisted reproductive technology and ensuring equality for LGBTQ families. By using more inclusive language, the bill aims to accommodate various family structures without assuming traditional gender roles.
Critics, however, see the change as unnecessary and overly bureaucratic. They contend that the terms “mother” and “father” are well understood and that replacing them with “person who gave birth” and “other parent” complicates the language without offering clear benefits.
The bill is designed to provide legal consistency, especially in cases of adoption and surrogacy, where traditional terms might not apply. Additionally, it seeks to give adoptees the right to know their biological parents, updating the legal framework to reflect modern family dynamics.
“This bill makes significant strides toward supporting children born through assisted reproductive technology and ensures equality for LGBTQ families to establish parentage,” Kane emphasized. The change is also intended to remove any legal ambiguities regarding parentage.
As Massachusetts awaits the governor’s decision, the discussion continues about whether this legislation is a necessary update to reflect modern families or an overreach that complicates straightforward terminology.
