Centuries old terms used to describe aspects of marriage and parenthood will disappear in the stroke of a pen when the same-sex marriage bill is passed in a few weeks.

And it will result in alterations to almost 200 acts of parliament to incorporate the new “gender cosy” terminology.

“Husband” and “wife” will each be replaced by “spouse” while the collective term of “husband and wife” will be replaced by “married couple.”

What terms, if any, will be used to replace “father” and “mother” is not clear.

[Article by Rod Vaughan. National Business Review Online 19 March 2013.]

See: http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/why-same-sex-marriage-bill-may-turn-parents-progenitors-rv-p-137458

In Spain, where a socialist government introduced same-sex marriage in 2005, the terms “father” and “mother” have been replaced by “progenitor A” and “progenitor B” on birth certificates.

Which raises the question of who is on the A-list and who is on on the B-side?

According to Otago University law professor Andrew Geddis, this was done to deal with the “two mothers” or “two fathers” issue.”

He told NBR ONLINE that New Zealand birth certificates must carry the name of the biological mother and father only. [Read more…]