Gov. Evers orders changes to mother, father designation on Wisconsin birth certificates
(The Center Square) – Birth certificates in the state of Wisconsin may no longer read “mother and father” when declaring a child’s parents.
Gov. Tony Evers on Monday issued an order that says, as of July 1, birth certificates in the state may read “parent-parent” instead.
“This change reflects my and my administration’s commitment to gender-neutral terminology and to recognizing that Wisconsin families are diverse and should be valued and respected,” Evers said in a statement.
Gov. Evers ordered back on June 1 that all state government agencies under his control begin using gender-neutral language in certain forms and documents. Birth certificates are just one example.
The governor’s office says the state’s Department of Health Services has added gender-neutral language to forms about child birth and pregnancy.
The state’s birth forms replace “mother” with “parent giving birth,” and other vital records have replaced “husband and wife” with “spouse and spouse.”
“This change reflects our continued commitment to recognizing that every family deserves to be treated with dignity and respect,” Gov. Evers said on Twitter.
The move to make the changes is not being received well with everyone.
Former Republican state Rep. Adam Jarchow took to Twitter Monday to call the changes “idiotic.”
DHS says people in the state who want to change their child’s birth certificate from “mother and father” to “parent and parent” can apply to make the change after July 1.
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