Gender reveals seem to be a trend that’s here to stay, increasingly becoming more creative, elaborate and cringe-worthy.

In case you have somehow managed to avoid this internet craze, gender reveals are when parents, family and friends, or both, find out the gender of their unborn baby. The revealed gender is strictly limited to boy or girl and symbolised by horrendously pastel pink or blue. The whole ordeal is simply saturated in heteronormativity.

Some argue these celebrations are perfect examples of the enforcement of gender stereotypes, that can be especially damaging for trans people. Aside from colour-coded gender, the ways in which the gender is revealed are hilariously hetero. Examples includes fathers lifting weights, shooting balloons for no apparent reason and even literal explosions.

Many also question why the gender of the baby even matters, either way the parents should simply be excited that they’re having a child, just as they shouldn’t care if later on the child tells them that this assigned gender is wrong.

The fact that gender reveals are even a thing also shows just how far commercialism and materialism have taken over our lives, not to mention that the elaborate ways of releasing balloons, confetti and anything pink and blue people can get their hands on, isn’t really great for the environment.

There is something inherently problematic with imposing a gender and the expectations attached to it onto someone. However, instead of denouncing this one party which the child is not even conscious of, what’s ultimately important is parents raising their children with unconditional love and acceptance. Many of the reveals are admittedly heart-warming and the idea of gathering with the people you love to mark the beginning of a new life can definitely be seen as a positive.

So, while gender reveals are completely unnecessary, definitely cringe-worthy, often ridiculous and nothing that a Facebook post wont cover, what’s more important and has a greater impact on that child, is how you react if your child later turns out to not be that gender.

Tasha Austen