LIFESTYLE

REVEALations: Popularizing gender

reveal parties over the years

BY STELLA MAE MARCOS | NOVEMBER 30, 2023

The ‘gender reveal’ trend is considered to have started during the late 2000s when then-mom-to-be Jenna Karvunidis threw a party for her family in Los Angeles to announce that her firstborn would be a girl by cutting a cake filled with pink icing. She shared this memorable event on her blog online—from then on, it had an unstoppable domino effect.

With this trend, parents realize that the gift of life is worthy of celebration. No wonder, soon-to-be parents have always been excited to surprise loved ones, and even themselves, with the delightful news of the baby's assigned sex before they finally welcome them to the world.

Fast forward to the mid-2010s and the 2020s, expecting parents have used extraordinary gimmicks to reveal their baby’s ‘gender.’ Filipino celebrities and influencers further popularized the trend by posting their suspenseful but exciting, extravagant moments on social media.

Let's have a glimpse at how Filipino celebrities and influencers make their journeys to parenthood exciting and remarkable. Get ready to embark on your own extraordinary gender reveal parties with the following reveal gimmicks:

Powder out of Plane

Who would have missed the extravagant helicopter pour-out powder stunt of Filipino YouTubers Cong TV and Viy Cortez which then revealed their baby’s gender using blue powder? In 2022, the vlogger couple shared their moments on their respective channels together with the Team Payaman, the couple's friends-turned-content creators, on their vlogs entitled "Pinkorblu" and "Little Cong or Little Viy," which gathered positive reactions from the netizens.

Netizens were left in awe after the blue powder poured out in thin air, revealing the baby boy of the iconic Youtube pioneers.

Sumo-wrestling match

Another heartwarming and fun gimmick for gender reveal party was the stunt made by the E.A.T noontime host, Vic Sotto, and his wife, Pauleen Luna, in August 2023 for their second child. The celebrity couple staged a playful sumo wrestling-themed party, with two people dressed in adorable baby costumes playfully shoving each other, instilling anticipation and excitement upon their family about what gender would win. Surprisingly, the pink-suited wrestler emerged victorious, delivering a knockout blow that ensued with pink confetti showers—unveiling another baby girl's arrival!

These kinds of reveals really make happiness for the family from the children, to our titas, titos, and even lolos and lolas. With this gimmick, it is exciting to make a bet not only for their selected wrestler but also for their desired gender of the new baby.

Tension in a box

Have you seen the viral gender reveal ruse of the Magsaysay family in your ‘For you page’ (FYP) in Tiktok? The delightful family on Tiktok decided to add a touch of humor to their twin’s announcement, building up anticipation as they continuously pulled and tugged the fabric out of the boxes.

Such gimmick may reveal whether the couple would be blessed with twin boys or girls. Ultimately, the two boxes have distinct colors, revealing that the couple would have a boy and a girl. So unique yet exciting, right? Trick your families in only desiring one gender but instead, let them be shocked by revealing that twins will soon enter the family tree.

Sporty twist

Gender reveals reach the utmost level of uniqueness, tailored to every kind of family, including the sporty ones.

Former Philippine Basketball player Marc Pingris and his wife Danica Sotto added a touch of sports to their baby reveal event by incorporating a basketball themed party. Pingris executed a perfect dunk into a miniature hoop, and everyone's speculations were confirmed when blue confetti burst out, announcing that the couple was expecting a baby boy. Isn't it adorable? You could even personalize your baby reveal using your favorite hobbies!

On the contrary, amid the attention to the aforementioned extravagant gender reveal stunts, the emphasis can shift from joyous celebrations to an insatiable quest for online recognition and validation, wherein some cases led to fatalities and environmental destruction.

In 2022, a Brazilian couple was deemed overboard in an environmental disturbance after they poured blue dye on a 60-foot-tall waterfall in Matto Grosso, Brazil to announce their baby's gender. A smoke bomb at another gender reveal in 2020 also resulted in a wildfire that ravaged over 8,900 hectares in San Bernardino National Forest, California, disrupting numerous forest-dwelling animals.

Psychologist Margarida Rafael noted that gender is a social construct influenced by the societal norms and roles associated with being male or female. In contrast, sex is the reproductive part of the infant. Misusing these concepts in the trend of gender reveal can lead to issues regarding gender norms.

Social media has been a massive factor in why there's been a change in the landscape of intimacy. The news of a baby on the way that was once a private affair between two individuals, has become everyone's interest. Despite the cons of this trendy celebration of new life, how they want to commemorate the exciting milestone of their lives is up to the future parents, but should be done with caution.

Get creative and break free from the norm when revealing your baby's gender. Alternatively, you can gather your loved ones for a baby shower to celebrate the upcoming arrival. But if you opt for a gender reveal party, make sure to do it inclusively, responsibly, and eco-friendly. Create a memorable moment out of mindfulness!