Screenshots via @mariap_poledance on TikTok
A video of two women in pink and blue bikinis doing a synchronized pole routine at a gender reveal party went viral on TikTok and Twitter this week, and people had questions. In the video, the dancers duel it out on a pole situated next to a pool, occasionally embracing dramatically, and then pushing and fighting each other for dominance to climb to the top. The TikTok cuts before any reveal happens. This clip went even more viral on Twitter after writer Joan Summers tweeted it, saying, “i legitimately cannot stop talking about this and thinking about this and fixating on this.”
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Spoiler for this unborn child’s sex ahead: In another, longer and more heavily produced piece of cinema from the special day, one of the pole warriors pops a big balloon and blue confetti rains out. The dad is so overcome he leaps into the pool. Most people replied or quote-tweeted it to acknowledge that while gender reveals are cringe-inducing, at least this one didn’t start any massive wildfires or kill anyone. Some marveled at the potential of a new gender. Several lamented straight people’s tastes and whether they’re okay as a whole.Maria Popa, a pole instructor in Moldova who posted the original TikTok, told me that this wasn’t just another example of parents-to-be being tacky, however, but an expression of love within the dance community. “This party was organized by my friend who is also a pole dance coach and the mom,” Popa said. “She wanted a celebration that represents and characterizes her, there was nothing out of the ordinary, everything was very nice and pleasant.” So, there you have it. Gender is a construct, but if you simply must have a reveal party for your kids’ genitals, maybe consider hiring a pole dancer or two. Sign up for Motherboard’s daily newsletter for a regular dose of our original reporting, plus behind-the-scenes content about our biggest stories.