The California mother widely credited with being the 鈥渋nventor鈥� of gender-reveal parties admits it was a mistake and now asks: 鈥渨ho cares what gender the baby is?鈥�
More than 10 years ago, blogger Jenna Karvunidis kicked off the popular trend in 2008 when she sliced into a cake to reveal pink frosting to signify her baby was going to be born a girl.
She鈥檇 written about her idea online and was soon interviewed about it by online pregnancy and parenting magazine The Bump. Karvunidis wrote recently, 鈥渢he idea kinda spread from there.鈥�
Since then, there have been numerous variations on the gender-reveal party, including fireworks displays, shooting at explosives, popping confetti-filled balloons and even using special 鈥� to dangerous effect.
But now, a decade-plus after she started the gender-reveal craze, Karvunidis said she has a new announcement of her own: she thinks she made a huge mistake.
鈥淲ho cares what gender the baby is?鈥� she wrote in a July 25. She said when she came up with the idea it was a different era.
鈥淚 did at the time because we didn't live in 2019 and didn't know what we know now,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淎ssigning focus on gender at birth leaves out so much of their potential and talents that have nothing to do with what鈥檚 between their legs.鈥�
She also added she鈥檚 鈥渇elt a lot of mixed feelings about my random contribution to the culture.鈥� She lamented that the trend needlessly helped put 鈥渕ore emphasis on gender than has ever been necessary for a baby.鈥�
Karvunidis said she鈥檚 glad that her idea has given so many people joy but she鈥檚 moving on. She wrote: 鈥淧LOT TWIST, the world's first gender-reveal party baby is a girl who wears suits!鈥�
Her now-10-year-old child Bianca, who has amassed thousands of , is no longer conforming to one gender and regularly wears clothing traditionally worn by boys.
