Couple sparks concern for wildlife with viral gender reveal

A couple’s explosive gender reveal has sparked backlash as viewers expressed concern for the surrounding environment.

Nicole, who goes by nicole_thenomad online, took to TikTok to share with her 2.2 million followers the moment she and her husband Chandler discovered the gender of their baby.

Holding hands in a field with a backdrop of trees, the couple learned they were having a girl when a mass of fireworks went off behind them, creating a gigantic wall of pink.

However, while some viewers praised Nicole and Chandler for putting together “the most beautiful gender reveal” they had ever seen, many were furious that the couple had potentially caused harm to the surrounding environment and wildlife.

The TikTok quickly went viral with over four million views, the comments packed with viewers sarcastically writing about how “environmentally friendly” the reveal was: “That’s so good for the trees and animals.”

Many also pointed out that the fireworks appeared too close to the treeline, stating that a forest fire could have easily been started.

“As a Californian, I love the PTSD from firework gender reveals, so pretty,” one person wrote, referencing a previous incident in which a smoke bomb at a gender reveal resulted in the El Dorado fire, which ultimately burnt 22,744 acres.

“Why do people have to ruin the environment and burn down forests in the name of gender reveals?” another viewer asked. A third commented, “Our baby is so important that we’d like to destroy the earth they’re about to inherit.”

Nicole went on to post a follow-up sharing “some of the party details” and how she “pretty much DIY’d all of it”. However, this resulted in further backlash, with viewers dubbing the reveal “insane” and questioning whether Nicole’s video was satire.

Responding to one viewer commenting again on the fireworks’ proximity to the trees, Nicole insisted there had never been any potential danger. She wrote, “Can’t tell by the angle of this video but everything was set up a legal and safe distance from trees.”

This isn’t the first time TikTokers have been called out for their use of fireworks. One couple in 2023 faced similar backlash after their “explosive” gender reveal saw sparks flying.