Singer-songwriter Demi Lovato has shared a lengthy Instagram post criticising the trend of gender reveal parties, branding them “transphobic”.
Gender reveal parties are held by expectant parents, who announce the assigned gender of their baby, often by unveiling a celebratory item coloured either pink or blue.
The post shared by Lovato, which was originally authored by someone else, is entitled “Why gender reveals are transphobic”.
“Transphobia is not just about prejudice against individual trans people, it’s also a way of thinking that understands non-trans people as more natural/organic and erases everyone else,” read the post.
“These ideas, like the gender binary, fuel mistreatment of all people, but especially trans and gender non-conforming people.
“Gender reveals are based on the illusion that genitals = gender and that there are only two options ‘boy or girl’,” it continued.
“This definition erases the fact that there are boys with vaginas and girls with penises and that there are people who are neither boys nor girls. The idea that sex is based on genitalia is inconsistent with science.”
Lovato shared the post, alongside a caption that read: “[Original poster] @alokvmenon with the real... Thank you for sharing your knowledge and educating us always.”
Some misjudged gender reveal events have made news headlines before, with some parents-to-be choosing to announce their child’s nominal gender with displays of dangerous theatricality.
Elaborate gender reveal stunts which have gone wrong have resulted in a 45,000-acre forest fire, a flaming car, a deadly explosion, and even a plane crash.
