TRENTON, N.J. — Congratulations on your new baby girl. Are you sure she doesn’t identify as a boy?
That’s a question being asked of new parents across New Jersey thanks to a bizarre requirement by Governor Phil Murphy being placed upon hospitals across the state.
Parents in New Jersey say they were asked to disclose their newborns’ gender identity and sexual orientation as part of a state-mandated hospital survey, drawing criticism from lawmakers and residents.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) called the practice “absolutely insane” in a social media post, claiming that hospitals were required to ask if infants identified as transgender or bisexual. Parents have shared similar experiences online, with one saying they were asked, “Does your baby identify as female, male, or non-binary?” before leaving the hospital.
The survey stems from a state law requiring health care facilities to collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) to track health disparities. Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation in 2018 allowing residents to amend birth certificates without proof of gender reassignment surgery, expanding recognition of gender identity in state records.
Now, some hospitals are asking parents to fill out the forms for their newborn babies.
Inspira Health, a New Jersey-based hospital network, stated in a June 2023 newsletter that it had launched an intake survey gathering SOGI data, reporting it to the state and federal government. “The goal is to carefully review how health care is delivered and to identify disparities and unconscious biases,” the announcement read. Some parents, however, reported that hospital staff appeared uncomfortable administering the survey.
The New Jersey Department of Health has not publicly responded to the controversy.