U.S. passport form to allow for same-sex parents

The United States is updating the passport application form for children under 16 in order to better accommodate a growing number of non-traditional families.

 

Where the previous form had asked for "mother" and "father", these fields will now be replaced with spaces for "parent 1" and "parent 2", in a move that is being heralded as a big step forward for gay rights.

 

"Changing the term mother and father to the more global term of parent allows many different types of families to be able to go and apply for a passport for their child without feeling like the government doesn’t recognize their family," said Jennifer Chrisler of the Family Equality Council, an LGBT parenting group.

 

While gay rights supporters might be rejoicing at the news, others are less happy with the change. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian organization that promotes the traditional family unit, claims that the change is "clearly designed to advance the causes of same-sex ‘marriage’ and homosexual parenting without statutory authority."