'Beyond parody': Governor faces backlash for proposing to change ‘mother’ to ‘inseminated person’ in Wisconsin

Wisconsin governor Tony Evers is facing sharp criticism after proposing changes to state law that replace gendered terms with neutral alternatives, a move some opponents have called "beyond parody," Fox news reports.
The Democratic governor’s budget recommendation for the 2025-2027 fiscal period includes changes such as replacing the word "mother" with "inseminated person" and "paternity" with "parentage." Other modifications in the proposal swap "wife" and "husband" for "spouse," while "father" is changed to "parent" and "mother" is replaced with "parent who gave birth to the child."

'Beyond parody'

The budget was introduced on Tuesday by the state Senate’s Joint Committee on Finance.

The language revisions quickly sparked backlash from conservatives, with Wisconsin radio host Dan O’Donnell criticising the changes in a post on X, calling them "beyond parody." Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, also responded to the post, simply writing, "red flag!"
The Republican governors association (RGA) swiftly reacted to the proposed language shifts, calling them part of a "left-wing push" that disrespects mothers.
"Being a mother is the greatest privilege I will have in my lifetime, and every mother I know feels the same," RGA executive director Sara Craig said in a statement. "If Tony Evers can reduce motherhood to an ‘inseminated person’ then our society is lost."
Tech billionaire also reacted to the gender-neutral terminology on X, calling it "messed up."

Gender debate in US
The controversy comes amid ongoing national debates over gendered terminology in the US. In recent years, terms like "chestfeeding" instead of "breastfeeding" and "birthing person" instead of "mother" have sparked heated discussions over language and inclusivity.
US President Donald Trump has taken a firm stance against such terminology. On his first day back in office, he signed an executive order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government."
The order states that federal policy must "recognise two sexes, male and female," which it describes as "not changeable and grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality." It further clarifies that "sex is not a synonym for and does not include the concept of ‘gender ideology.’"
Earlier this month, Trump issued another order, "Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports," aimed at banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports.
During a White House event on Friday, Trump clashed with Maine Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, over his executive orders on gender policies. He warned that states refusing to comply could lose federal funding.
The exchange grew tense as Mills pushed back against Trump's warning. Both ended the discussion by vowing to take the fight to court.