What Is A Gender Reveal Party? All About The Newest Trend
Gallery
Finding out the sex of a new baby is an exciting milestone in many expecting parents' pregnancy journey.
It can be great fun to celebrate with family and friends, and is generally a good opportunity to get people together to eat cake and have fun!
Unfortunately, there are some negative implications behind gender reveal parties, so we wanted to keep you up to date on what you're getting yourself into, just in case you've been thinking about throwing one.
We've put together some information about what gender reveal parties are, how to host one and how to navigate the negative side of the party. Whether you're for or against the celebrations, it's good to know what they're all about, just in case someone you know ends up inviting you to a gender reveal in the near future.
You can also make your pregnancy a little more comfortable by checking out these [sleeping positions during your second trimester] or learn more about an [unassisted birth].
What Is A Gender Reveal Party?
Ten years ago you'd be forgiven for having never heard of a gender reveal party, but today they are almost a pregnancy rite of passage and are becoming as regular as baby showers for welcoming new arrivals.
Gender reveal parties are a great fun trend for expecting parents to involve family and friends in the pregnancy journey and have a fun celebration.
Parents often choose to have gender reveal parties as well as baby showers these days, mostly just because it's a fun excuse to have a party. A baby shower is held by friends and family to honor a mom-to-be, and "shower" them in gifts.
Gender reveal parties are much newer, only rising to popularity in 2008, and are usually hosted by the parents to announce whether their new baby is going to be a girl or a boy.
The premise of gender reveal parties is pretty simple. Instead of just finding out whether their new baby is a boy or a girl at their ultrasound, expectant parents ask the doctor to write the baby's sex on a piece of paper and use it to create a surprise to reveal the baby's sex to friends and family.
There are multiple ways to tackle the surprise aspect of the gender reveal party, from opening a box of pink or blue helium balloons, to a gender reveal cake that you cut into to reveal either a blue or pink interior.
Largely the surprise will feature the colors pink and blue to represent whether the new baby is going to be a boy or a girl.
Ultimately, you can do whatever you want for gender reveal parties and reveal the baby's gender however you wish. Confetti, cake, and balloons are all common choices, but it could be fun to get creative and use a specially created scratch card or even a pink or blue mini firework display to create a wow-factor at your event.
You can host a gender reveal party at any time after your 18 - 21 week ultrasound, where your nurse or doctor can determine the sex of your baby.
Most parents can't wait to find out, so will schedule a party for soon after the ultrasound, but others might choose to wait a few weeks or months, it's really up to you.
What To Bring To A Gender Reveal Party
It is usually expected for friends and family members to bring some form of gift to a gender reveal party. If the expecting parents are having a gender reveal party and also a baby shower, it shouldn't be expected that you spend double on gifts, though often it is.
We suggest splitting the budget between the two or taking a smaller token gift to the gender reveal party and saving your money for something larger at the baby shower.
Some people like to bring a gift that is for the baby when attending a baby shower, so it's nice to bring a gift for the parents to a gender reveal instead. If you're struggling with what to choose, here's a few ideas for gifts to bring to a gender reveal party.
It is nice to give gifts that parents can enjoy straight away and that can relieve a bit of stress from their pre-baby lives. Subscriptions to meal-services and spa packages are both welcome big gift ideas if your budget allows.
Comfort is key when you're expecting, so new mothers will love fresh comfy pajamas or a dressing gown and slippers.
You might also want to give special parent gifts, like mugs that say "mom" or "dad." These are especially great gifts for parents expecting their first baby when the excitement about becoming a parent is totally fresh.
Gender Reveal Controversy
There is a lot of talk around whether gender reveal parties are necessary, and scrutiny over the stereotypes we place on babies based on their biological sex. Ultimately, a gender reveal party isn't a necessity in your pregnancy journey, and a lot of expectant parents are choosing to boycott them.
Though the trend is primarily called "gender-reveal," it is actually more appropriate for us to call it a "sex-reveal," because we're simply referring to the anatomy of our new child. Gender identity can be different from the birth-assigned sex of a baby and develops in the many years after our baby is born.
The idea that genitals equal gender is outdated and misleading, and can be hurtful to people who don't identify with their birth-assigned sex.
Societal changes have shone a light on transgender and non-binary rights, and defining a baby as "pink" or "blue" based on genitals doesn't fit in with the progression we're seeing in the journey to becoming a much more accepting society.
Many activists are petitioning against gender reveals for this reason.
Jenna Myers Karvunidis, who invented the party idea when pregnant with her first child in 2008, confessed on Twitter to having “major mixed feelings” about her role in popularizing the gender reveal, because of the negative impacts they can have.
As well as the psychological dangers of hosting a gender reveal event, there can be some very real physical dangers too, especially as stunts become more and more outlandish to make parties more exciting for guests.
In February, father-to-be Christopher Pekny sadly lost his life when his gender reveal device exploded. In 2019, Pamela Kreimeyer, who was a guest at a gender reveal party was also fatally injured when a color explosion went wrong.
In 2018, a man shot a target that was meant to explode with colored powder, which ended up sparking a huge wildfire in Arizona which wreaked havoc for an entire week and caused massive damage to wildlife.
If you do just want to celebrate the big milestone that is finding out the sex of your baby, then by all means host your own reveal party, and have fun doing so. Just ensure any reveal is risk assessed and deemed safe for all guests.
We'd also recommend re-labeling it as a sex-reveal party to support our trans and non-binary peers, and being conscious of any stereotypes you might be placing on your baby.
If you found these gender reveal party ideas helpful, why not take a look at our guide to [vaginal change during pregnancy] and find out the answer to the question: [what do midwives do?]
We Want Your Photos!
More for You
See All
Doctorate specializing in Veterinary Medicine
Oluniyi AkandeDoctorate specializing in Veterinary Medicine
With an accomplished background as a Veterinarian, SEO content writer, and public speaker, Oluniyi brings a wealth of skills and experience to his work. Holding a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Ibadan, he provides exceptional consulting services to pet owners, animal farms, and agricultural establishments. Oluniyi's impressive writing career spans over five years, during which he has produced over 5000 high-quality short- and long-form pieces of content. His versatility shines through as he tackles a diverse array of topics, including pets, real estate, sports, games, technology, landscaping, healthcare, cosmetics, personal loans, debt management, construction, and agriculture.
Disclaimer
1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.
