NJ Hospitals Ask Parents to 'Identify' Pronouns & Sexual Orientations of Newborn Babies

https://nypost.com/2025/03/15/us-news/new-jersey-law-ask-parents-to-choose-babys-gender-sexual-orientation/

As if coming up with a great baby name wasn't hard enough.

Newborns can't even control their own movements, but that isn't stopping New
Jersey hospitals from asking parents for their baby's preferred pronouns and
sexual orientation.

Inspira Health's "Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Questionnaire"
requires new parents to identify their babies as either "Male, Female,
Transgender, Gender Queer," or "Additional gender category".

It further asks parents to select the word that best describes their infant:
"Lesbian or Gay, Straight or Heterosexual, Self-Described,
Questioning/Unsure".

The healthcare system-- which operates four hospitals, two cancer centers, and
eight health centers throughout South Jersey-- created the form last year to
comply with a newly-enacted Garden State law that requires health care
providers "to collect race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity
in a culturally competent and sensitive manner".

But many, from parents to politicians, think the newborn survey is absurd.

"That form is completely crazy and anyone who would dictate a baby's sexual
orientation probably has an agenda," said Sandy Anello, 34, a mom of two
living in Bridgewater, NJ. "If I was told to fill this out, I'd rip it up in
front of them. It feels like we've entered the Twilight Zone."

"Identifying my baby as gay on Day 1 is insane," offered Jersey City mom-to-be
Carsen Rodgers, who is due in April. "I had no idea about this form and I'm
shocked."

New Jersey State Sen. Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen) told The Post, "The entire
thing lacks such common sense and serves no purpose whatsoever. As a mom
myself, I know you're exhausted after giving birth, you've got a crying
newborn and you're trying to figure out how to feed it. To be handed that sort
of form in the midst of all that has no medical value, it makes no sense."

Schepisi shared a photo of the form on Facebook, sparking disbelief, with many
commenters questioning the picture's authenticity.

The lawmaker said she will introduce a bill next week to revise the New Jersey
mandate's language, limiting the collection of such data to patients 16 and
older. Schepisi said the state measure was a last-minute addition to a package
of bills approved by Trenton on June 30, 2022.

"What was the genesis of this bill?" Schepisi wondered aloud. "How did it move
so quickly with barely any committee hearings on it?" Schepisi suspects
someone is buying the demographic data from the state and "using it for some
sort of purpose".

Democratic New Jersey State Sens. Joseph Cryan and Angela McKnight introduced
the bill on June 23, 2022. They refused to comment. Democrat Herbert Conaway,
a former assemblyman who was elected to the House of Representatives last
year, also worked on the bill.

"The bill was modeled after an Indiana statute and is designed to provide
public health officials with the data they need to develop public health
measures that effectively serve all New Jerseyans," Conaway said in a
statement to The Post. "Good policy depends on the availability of complete
and accurate data. Under the law, hospitals are required to collect and report
demographic data on the patients they serve; however, no patient or parent is
obligated to answer any question that makes them uncomfortable. Newborns are
not subjected to this data collection because parents are not required to fill
out the form. Many health decisions for newborns are left to the parents'
discretion."

Representatives for NYC hospitals said they do not collect such data.

An Inspira Health representative said the questionnaire is required by New
Jersey law and noted parents are permitted to decline to provide this
information. Inspira had sought a waiver from the state but that hasn't yet
been granted.