People All Over The Internet Are Upset About A Video Of A Football Player And His Mom Hugging After A Game
Is she in the wrong?
Nagel Photography and Gorodenkoff via Shutterstock / genphoto_art via Canva While affection between parents and children is something to be encouraged, that affection should also come with healthy boundaries. A video that initially surfaced on Instagram depicting an embrace between a high school football player and a woman has people questioning what point an embrace crosses the line from appropriate to uncomfortable.
This display of affection had many viewers believing they were witnessing an intimate moment between a young couple. However, it was soon revealed that the woman wrapped around the athlete in such a girlfriend-like manner was actually his mother.
A TikTok user known as "IvanGtv," or Ivan, recently drew attention to the video that has sparked controversy and debate.
The video shows what appears to be a post-game exchange with the football player carrying the woman in his arms as she clings to him tightly.
The hug mirrors those typically seen between couples, leading viewers to make assumptions about their relationship.
"People all over the internet are upset about this video," Ivan said. "It looks like he won and she's super excited."
But then came the twist that is leaving people stunned.
"There's only one problem. That's his mom."
The mom, Amber Lund, initially shared the video on Instagram.
People who initially mistook their interaction for romantic rather than familial love were left utterly shocked.
Many people started to make jokes about the situation, with comments under the tweet quickly filling up with humorous references pointing toward infamous stereotypes.
"Sweet Home Alabama," became one of them — a phrase often used online to joke about incestuous relationships due to its association with the U.S. state's stereotype.
The man who posted the video admitted to being taken aback when learning about their real relationship status after making initial assumptions based on what he saw in the clip.
Photo: TikTok
"And I'll be honest, when I saw it, I 100% was like, this is awesome. Boyfriend, girlfriend, you know, she's just really excited. And then when I found out it's his mom, I was like, that's a little weird, you know?" he said.
The video opens up conversations on the appropriate boundaries for affection between parents and their kids.
While a parent's affection (or lack thereof) is scientifically proven to play a part in shaping a child's well-being as they grow older, there comes a point when certain displays of affection do cross a line.
"Anything closely resembling the sexualized physical behavior between adults that your son has observed would not be healthy to exchange," licensed psychotherapist Carleton Kendrick, Ed.M., LCSW, has said, with any displays of affection that "do not produce discomfort or inappropriate responses" generally deemed acceptable.
In this case, the mom's hug appeared to be a product of excitement. And while we typically see such hugs between people who are romantically involved, a closer look at the hug shows the son's hands as well as the mom's legs placed appropriately, with neither party lingering in the embrace.
Ultimately, as Kendrick advised, what matters is the son's response to his mom's hug.
Ethan Cotler is a writer and frequent contributor to YourTango living in Boston. His writing covers entertainment, news, and human interest stories.