"I Bet This Was His Idea" — Dad's Punching Gender Reveal Leaves Internet Worried

TikToker DepressionDotGov (@depressiondotgov) is no stranger to going viral, but one of her latest videos has got throngs of folks on the internet very, very concerned.

With 8.6 million views and counting, the video titled "I’ll never understand the thought process with gender reveal ideas" has viewers rolling on the floor laughing and slightly horrified.

In the clip, a very pregnant woman dressed all in white is seen holding boxing pads, while a man sporting a man bun winds up a little too hard to deliver a series of power punches. After a few less-than-impressive hits, the man finally lands a solid blow, releasing a cloud of pink dust.

The imagery of seeing a man strike pads held by a pregnant woman in a dress over and over again is one that made me wince, and it seems that the TikToker who posted the clip, along with throngs of other folks who commented on it, thought it was a bad look as well.

After the pad assault, there's a smash cut to comedienne DepressionDotGov watching the scene unfold with a look of pure horror. Speaking directly to the camera, she deadpans, "Are you OK? Seems a little rough. No one else could hold it? Had to be the mommy?"

The comments section was a goldmine of reactions. One of the top comments, dripping with sarcasm, stated, "He knows that she's pregnant, right?" Another viewer chimed in, "I bet this was his idea."

And of course, someone nostalgically mused, "What happened to cutting into a cake??!?".

The gender reveal party trend took off in the late 2000s and early 2010s, thanks to the rise of social media. Jenna Karvunidis is often credited with popularizing the concept when she blogged about her own gender reveal party in 2008.

From there, the idea snowballed as expectant parents across the world started sharing their own creative (and increasingly bizarre) reveals online.

Social media has a way of taking things to the next level, and gender reveals are no exception. Remember the couple who hired three airplanes to emit blue exhaust to announce they were having a boy?

Or the duo who broke a tub of ice, climbed in, and watched the water turn pink to reveal they were expecting a girl as they froze their butts off? It’s safe to say that when it comes to gender reveals, the sky's the limit—most literally.

But not all gender reveals are created equal, and some can leave us scratching our heads or laughing out loud…or both? If you ever find yourself throwing full-force punches at your pregnant wife for any reason, it might be time to rethink your approach.

As DepressionDotGov's video hilariously highlights, not all ideas are winners.

Her video has struck a chord with many who feel that some traditions might be getting a bit out of hand. One viewer summed it up perfectly, saying, "This was too aggressive."

Another agreed, adding a comedic beat, "We’re having a girl! And my wife is having surgery to have her shoulder socket reconstructed!”

With gender reveals, it is important to remember the original purpose: celebrating the impending arrival of a new family member. So, before you start planning your own elaborate reveal, take a moment to consider whether your idea might be a bit heavy-handed — again, literally.

As the hilarious reactions to DepressionDotGov's video show, sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. After all, a cake or a simple balloon pop can be just as exciting — and far less dangerous — than a full-blown boxing match with your pregnant baby mama.

In the end, social media might have put gender reveals on steroids, but it's also given us the chance to laugh at ourselves and our sometimes over-the-top ideas. And that's something we can all get on board with.

Unless, of course, we're talking about gender reveals that caused a literal earthquake and damage to the surrounding area and people's property.

Or this other new dad who decided, in 2018, to use tannerite, a highly explosive material for him and his significant other's gender reveal, which left him with a $200,000 repair bill.

So, next time you're tempted to go all out for a gender reveal, remember DepressionDotGov's wise words and keep it light, keep it fun, and most importantly, keep it safe. TikTok agrees, and we think your ego and wallet will too.