diff --git a/internal/gatewayapi/contexts.go b/internal/gatewayapi/contexts.go
index 8841e48a73..81e5967a0b 100644
--- a/internal/gatewayapi/contexts.go
+++ b/internal/gatewayapi/contexts.go
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@
 package gatewayapi
 
 import (
-	"reflect"
-
 	corev1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
@@ -456,7 +454,7 @@ func GetRouteParentContext(route RouteContext, forParentRef gwapiv1.ParentRefere
 	var parentRef *gwapiv1.ParentReference
 	specParentRefs := route.GetParentReferences()
 	for _, p := range specParentRefs {
-		if isParentRefEqual(p, forParentRef, route.GetNamespace()) {
+		if IsParentRefEqual(p, forParentRef, route.GetNamespace()) {
 			parentRef = &p
 			break
 		}
@@ -470,7 +468,7 @@ func GetRouteParentContext(route RouteContext, forParentRef gwapiv1.ParentRefere
 	routeStatus := route.GetRouteStatus()
 
 	for i, parent := range routeStatus.Parents {
-		if isParentRefEqual(parent.ParentRef, *parentRef, route.GetNamespace()) {
+		if IsParentRefEqual(parent.ParentRef, *parentRef, route.GetNamespace()) {
 			routeParentStatusIdx = i
 			break
 		}
@@ -510,32 +508,74 @@ func GetRouteParentContext(route RouteContext, forParentRef gwapiv1.ParentRefere
 	return ctx
 }
 
-func isParentRefEqual(ref1, ref2 gwapiv1.ParentReference, routeNS string) bool {
+// IsParentRefEqual compares two ParentReference objects for equality without using reflection.
+func IsParentRefEqual(ref1, ref2 gwapiv1.ParentReference, routeNS string) bool {
+	// Compare Group with default handling
 	defaultGroup := (*gwapiv1.Group)(&gwapiv1.GroupVersion.Group)
-	if ref1.Group == nil {
-		ref1.Group = defaultGroup
+	group1 := ref1.Group
+	if group1 == nil {
+		group1 = defaultGroup
+	}
+	group2 := ref2.Group
+	if group2 == nil {
+		group2 = defaultGroup
 	}
-	if ref2.Group == nil {
-		ref2.Group = defaultGroup
+	if *group1 != *group2 {
+		return false
 	}
 
+	// Compare Kind with default handling
 	defaultKind := gwapiv1.Kind(resource.KindGateway)
-	if ref1.Kind == nil {
-		ref1.Kind = &defaultKind
+	kind1 := ref1.Kind
+	if kind1 == nil {
+		kind1 = &defaultKind
 	}
-	if ref2.Kind == nil {
-		ref2.Kind = &defaultKind
+	kind2 := ref2.Kind
+	if kind2 == nil {
+		kind2 = &defaultKind
+	}
+	if *kind1 != *kind2 {
+		return false
 	}
 
-	// If the parent's namespace is not set, default to the namespace of the Route.
+	// Compare Name (required field)
+	if ref1.Name != ref2.Name {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// Compare Namespace with default handling
 	defaultNS := gwapiv1.Namespace(routeNS)
-	if ref1.Namespace == nil {
-		ref1.Namespace = &defaultNS
+	namespace1 := ref1.Namespace
+	if namespace1 == nil {
+		namespace1 = &defaultNS
+	}
+	namespace2 := ref2.Namespace
+	if namespace2 == nil {
+		namespace2 = &defaultNS
+	}
+	if *namespace1 != *namespace2 {
+		return false
 	}
-	if ref2.Namespace == nil {
-		ref2.Namespace = &defaultNS
+
+	// Compare SectionName (optional field)
+	if ref1.SectionName == nil && ref2.SectionName == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+	if ref1.SectionName == nil || ref2.SectionName == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if *ref1.SectionName != *ref2.SectionName {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// Compare Port (optional field)
+	if ref1.Port == nil && ref2.Port == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+	if ref1.Port == nil || ref2.Port == nil {
+		return false
 	}
-	return reflect.DeepEqual(ref1, ref2)
+	return *ref1.Port == *ref2.Port
 }
 
 // RouteParentContext wraps a ParentReference and provides helper methods for