Gender reveals can be an exciting time for expectant parents who are eager to share a piece of their parenthood journey with their family and friends. However, in the social media age, we’ve all scrolled through our feeds and found ourselves rolling our eyes or pressing the “unfollow” button when we see over-the-top, awkward, or in-poor-taste gender reveal posts.
There’s no true right or wrong way to announce the gender of your future child, but there are ways to avoid irritating or offending your followers, while also basking in your own genuine joy (#HumbleBrag). We posted a series of gender reveal photos on our Instagram story earlier this month asking our readers for their thoughts. The reactions varied, but we were able to create a list of solid do’s and don’ts for sharing your pink or blue news on social media!
DO
Blow Up Balloons: Our kind Instagram followers gave a unanimous “yes” to the concept of a box suspended in the air with an explosion of pink balloons falling out onto the mother. It was sweet, a little glitzy, but not over the top at all. This definitely hit the sweet spot for our followers, so take note!
Include Pets: We asked the ‘Gram if including an adorable mutt in the reveal made it cuter, and by default, a win for the couple. The overall consensus was “yes” with 82 percent. Dogs tend to make everything a little better, so why wouldn’t they do the same for a gender reveal announcement? If you have a sweet pup that you treat like your own child, then go ahead and throw them into the reveal mix.
Keep It Simple: People say less is more, and we find that’s true with gender reveal announcements on social media. In another winning post, a dark blue board with letters spells out the gender plain and simple. In addition to the words, people incorporate either a photo of a sonogram or a piece of clothing that reflects the gender. This type of announcement received positive reviews by 83 percent of those polled.
DON’T
Rely On Outdated Stereotypes: One only has to look to Pinterest to see that outdated gender stereotypes are alive and well in the world of gender reveals. Some of the negatively-received images on our Instagram poll included themes like “Touchdowns or Tutus?” and “Baseballs or Bows?” Our best advice? Try not to assume what activity preferences or personality traits your child will have, and to go with a reveal route that doesn’t play into stereotypes.
Get Too Meta: If you’re posting a reveal to social media, your friends and followers get it—they don’t need a double reminder that yes, this is a #GenderReveal and this is @Instagram. One concept that got the thumbs-down from our followers was an Instagram-themed reveal. In this setup, the couple created a large cut-out of an Instagram frame (just 1,000 times larger) with one side painted pink and the other painted blue. Then in the middle of the frame, the couple throws confetti or balloons in the gender’s color. This meta-textual concept yielded a final result of 67 percent “no” and only 33 percent “yes.”
Feel Like You Have To Share: The biggest misconception of all when it comes sharing baby news online is that you and your partner have any obligation to do so! If you’re feeling like you want to keep the news private, follow your instincts.
