Parents express outrage after being asked to classify newborns as gay, transgender, or genderqueer on hospital surveys mandated under state law.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Hospitals across New Jersey have come under scrutiny after parents of newborns were asked to identify their babies’ sexual orientation and gender identity, including options such as “genderqueer,” “transgender,” “gay,” “heterosexual,” and “other,” according to The Telegraph. The questions were part of a health survey created by Inspira Health and distributed at multiple medical facilities throughout the state.
One question on the survey asked parents, “Do you identify your baby as a transgender male/ trans man/ female to male,” with additional choices including “genderqueer” and an “additional gender category.” Other questions sought to determine if the baby was “lesbian or gay,” “heterosexual,” “self-describes,” or “questioning/unsure.”
Inspira Health, which operates nearly a dozen hospitals and healthcare facilities in New Jersey, stated the survey was a legal requirement under state law to collect demographic data “in a culturally competent and sensitive matter.” The healthcare provider indicated that while parents are asked to complete the survey, they are “permitted to decline to provide” the requested information.
Inspira told The Telegraph that it has requested a waiver from the state to exclude certain questions but has not yet received approval.
Parents reacting to the survey voiced shock and frustration. New Jersey mother-of-two Sandy Anello told the NY Post, “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.’”
Another expectant mother said, “Identifying my baby as gay on Day 1 is insane,” adding, “I had no idea about this form and I’m shocked.”
New Jersey State Senator Holly Schepisi (R) criticized the practice, saying, “The entire thing lacks such common sense, and serves no purpose whatsoever.” She added, “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.”
The controversy surrounding the hospital survey comes as debates continue across the United States about gender identity in young children. Video footage from 2024 resurfaced showing some parents claiming their children began “transitioning” at age one, as reported by Infowars. The footage sparked renewed concerns over the cultural and political direction of gender discussions involving minors.
