The Atlantic

What to Expect When You’re Expecting Gender-Reveal Backlash

The psychology behind a controversial trend
Source: Jeneil S / Getty

The gender reveal that Jonathan Reilly orchestrated for his first baby didn’t go perfectly. In 2016, he had his mother-in-law secretly write down the baby’s sex and order balloons from a party-supply store. The plan was for the balloons, which were all blue, to stay hidden in a bag from Reilly and his wife until the couple hosted a party. The balloons would appear and reveal that the baby was a boy. But the store put them in a clear bag. Reilly inadvertently saw them before the party even began.

The experience was in part what inspired Reilly and his wife, Tori, to start their own gender-reveal company. Called , its website promises to help people “create their dream reveal” with items like footballs, cannons, and smoke bombs that spit out clouds of fuchsia or teal. The.

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