Almost the moment parents-to-be reveal they are pregnant or the bump begins to show, they are peppered with questions. From birth plans to breastfeeding, suddenly their lives are the subject of intense speculation. But the question they get most often is what do you want, a girl or a boy? People take sides with the same fervor of TRL fans choosing between Backstreet Boys and NSYNC.
Enter gender reveal parties. This polarizing phenomenon usually involves parents cutting a cake, releasing balloons, or some other grand gesture that involves the colors pink and blue to indicate the biological makeup of the baby. Most parents just want a healthy newborn, and no matter what color shows up, they’re excited.
More from Cafemom: 33 Epic Birth Photos That Prove the Gender Reveal Is Worth the Wait
Some parents can't hold it together.
But sometimes, expectations aren’t met, and one parent can be openly disappointed. Gender disappointment is real and it's legitimate.
TikTok content creator and girl mom @kc.fulton's gender reveal video went viral with almost 52 million views on TikTok and more than four million on Twitter.
What blew up the internet? A disgruntled dad.
What do the girls think of their dad?
The viral video shows KC, her two adorable little girls bedecked in pink, and her husband. It starts with an idyllic scene of the foursome embracing in anticipation of learning the baby's gender.
When the mom opens a black umbrella, pink petals rain down on the family. Mom and daughters are joyous, tossing petals and asking the question, “What are we having — a baby brother or a baby sister?"
They cheer at having another sister. Dad? Not so much.
While his wife and children celebrate, dad’s reaction is akin to a sullen teenager muttering, "Oh [expletive]" on multiple occasions. He stomps back and forth across the screen, awash in disappointment.
To take inspiration from @NotCapnAmerica’s tweet, what message does this send to the girls he already has?
The behavior stabs the girls to the core.
KC's video inspired impassioned responses. One of the most heartfelt was from TikTok user @i.margie.nation, stitched with the original video. It cuts to the content creator who asks, “Do you think little girls don’t notice when you make [expletive] like this?”
She explains that this type of content, which spreads the notion that people are disappointed to have girls, stabs girls to the core.
The backlash prompted a response video.
In response to the stitched videos of their gender reveal, KC made a photo montage of her husband engaging with their daughters. The montage was set to the song "Daddy's Little Girl" by Chad Kaney and depicted him holding them as babies and gazing lovingly at them.
The comments section, however, was not so forgiving.
"No one doubted that he loved them. We were watching his reaction and thinking of your kids POV and THEIR feelings," someone wrote.
KC replied by saying her girls weren't bothered and if they raise them "right," they won't be upset knowing their dad wanted a boy.
The most poignant remark was from a 40-year-old commenter who was the second daughter. She refers to herself as a disappointment. "My parents only wanted 2 kids: knowing I 'should have been a boy' It's hurtful for life."
