New Jersey hospitals ask parents to assign pronouns, sexual orientation to newborns in bizarre survey
By isabelle // 2025-03-18
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  • New Jersey hospitals are asking parents to identify newborns' preferred pronouns and sexual orientation via a controversial form.
  • The form, required by a 2022 state law, includes options like "Transgender" and "Lesbian or gay" for infants.
  • Parents and politicians have criticized the form as "absurd" and "insane," with some calling for its removal.
  • Inspira Health, which distributes the form, has sought a waiver due to backlash but cites state law as the reason for its use.
  • Critics argue the form serves no medical purpose and reflects the politicization of healthcare.
New Jersey hospitals are now asking new parents to identify their newborn babies’ preferred pronouns and sexual orientation. Yes, you read that correctly: Hospitals in the Garden State are handing out forms that demand parents categorize their infants as “Male, Female, Transgender, Gender Queer” or even “Additional gender category,” and describe them as “Lesbian or gay, Straight or heterosexual, Bisexual, Questioning/Unsure.” This absurd questionnaire, which defies all logic and common sense, is part of a state law passed in 2022 requiring healthcare providers to collect detailed demographic data — including race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity — from patients. But applying this to newborns? It’s a shining example of how radical gender ideology has infiltrated healthcare, targeting children from their very first moments of life.

A form that defies reality

The controversial form, distributed by Inspira Health — a network of four hospitals, two cancer centers, and eight health centers in South Jersey — has sparked outrage among parents and politicians alike. The questionnaire asks parents to “identify” their newborns’ gender and sexual orientation, despite the obvious fact that infants have no possible way of comprehending such concepts. Parents who have encountered the form are calling it “crazy,” “insane,” and “absurd.” Sandy Anello, a mother of two from Bridgewater, New Jersey, didn’t mince words: “That form is completely crazy, and anyone who would dictate a baby’s sexual orientation probably has an agenda. 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.’” Carsen Rodgers, a mom-to-be from Jersey City, echoed the sentiment: “Identifying my baby as gay on Day 1 is insane. I had no idea about this form, and I’m shocked.” The form is a direct result of a 2022 New Jersey law, introduced by Democratic State Sens. Joseph Cryan and Angela McKnight, which mandates healthcare providers to collect demographic data on patients. While the law was ostensibly designed to help public health officials develop targeted measures, its application to newborns has left many scratching their heads. State Sen. Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen), who has been vocal in her criticism, called the form “completely and utterly insane.” “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 told the New York Post. She plans to introduce legislation to revise the law, limiting the collection of such data to patients aged 16 and older. Schepisi also questioned the origins of the law, which was passed with minimal debate. “What was the genesis of this bill? How did it move so quickly with barely any committee hearings on it?” she asked. She suspects the data is being collected for some undisclosed purpose, adding, “Someone is buying this data and using it for some sort of agenda.”

Parents push back

The backlash against the form has been swift and fierce. Lillie Mingle, a South Jersey mother who received the questionnaire during her pregnancy, described her reaction as “shocked, and then disgust set in.” She posted the form on social media, where it quickly went viral, with other mothers confirming they had received similar forms at other hospitals. “Regardless of my own personal beliefs, the language used alone was very troubling,” Mingle said. “It’s my hope that it will be completely rescinded soon. I know how hard it is freshly postpartum to have coherent thoughts to even push back on such a thing.” Inspira Health has defended the form, stating it is “required by New Jersey law” and that parents “are permitted to decline to provide this information.” However, the hospital network has sought a waiver from the state, citing negative feedback from patients.

A call for sanity

This bizarre episode is a shining example of how far radical ideologies have infiltrated institutions that should prioritize common sense and practicality. Mandating parents to assign sexual orientations and gender identities to newborns is not only absurd but also a waste of medical professionals’ time and resources. As Schepisi aptly put it, “This form serves no practical medical purpose for the care of a newborn baby.” For now, parents in New Jersey are left to navigate this surreal landscape, where even the most basic aspects of life are politicized. One can only hope that sanity will prevail, and this ridiculous mandate will be rescinded before it spreads further. Sources for this article include: X.com NYPost.com DailyMail.co.uk NJ.com
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