If you’ve never seen an alligator up close, you might not realize just how terrifying they can be—or how common they are in some parts of the South.
While people in the Midwest may only have to deal with deer and wild turkeys, the average Floridian can spend their days just a few steps away from being snapped up by a gator.
Naturally, the situation isn’t as dangerous as that description might sound. After decades of living near each other, humans and alligators have achieved a semblance of peace. Since 1948, there have been only about 500 alligator attacks in Florida, and a study found that almost all were caused by people messing with alligators, not by alligators randomly attacking.
Still, there’s always a chance that an alligator can lash out and grab hold of a person. But does what you’re wearing play any role in whether a gator chooses to attack?
A Gender Reveal With An Alligator
In a video with over 2.5 million views, TikTok user Justice (@justicerackard1) shows a gender reveal party in Florida. An alligator can be observed swimming in a nearby stream.
The arrival of the creature causes chaos. People are yelling, moving away from the alligator—and, specifically, telling one woman to take her shirt off.
“You gotta take that shirt off,” one of the attendees says to the woman.
The reason for this request? She’s wearing a bright red Braves shirt. According to the attendees, the color may have been aggravating the alligator.
“Warning don’t wear red around alligators,” the TikToker writes in the video’s overlay text.
Should You Avoid Wearing Red Around Alligators?
There’s a common myth that one should avoid wearing red around bulls. In reality, bulls can’t even see the color red. Instead, the classic image of a “bull charging at a red cape” is due to the movement of the fabric, not its color.
But are alligators actually aggravated by the color?
It’s true that they see colors, though probably not in the same way as humans. However, there’s no evidence that any specific color will make an alligator more aggressive or encourage it to attack.
Various guides on alligator safety make no mention of shirt color. Instead, experts suggest simply keeping a safe distance, swimming only in designated areas, and never feeding them. Overall, one should stay calm and, if they’re afraid that an alligator is going to pounce, slowly move away from the creature.
In short, you can wear red around them. If you’re concerned about alligator safety, there are many other steps you should take to ensure your well-being. Changing the color of your outfit is not one of them.
Commenters Are Scared
In the comments section, users expressed their terror at the family’s predicament.
“Alligators are very fast btw,” observed a commenter. This is true; on land, an alligator can hit speeds of 11 miles per hour on land, occasionally going faster in short bursts. For context, an untrained human can likely only sprint at around 12 to 15 miles per hour. In the water, alligators can swim at around 20 mph—significantly faster than the average human’s 2 to 3 mph.
“Only Floridians would have a celebration at a location like this,” another said.
“Babyshower canceled,” a third declared. “Leave everything there lol.”
BroBible reached out to Justice via Instagram direct message and comment and TikTok comment.