Former Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson has ignited a debate among fans following the release of a video showing her kissing her 2-year-old son, Barrett “Bear” East, on the lips. The clip, shared over the weekend, captured the moment on a boat outing with her family.
In the video, the toddler is seen embracing his mother and kissing her directly on the lips. A voice from off-camera is heard reacting to the kiss. Johnson captioned the post, “Wow, what was that, dude?” adding, “Hahahaha this guy came outta nowhere!!”
The social media post quickly drew a wide range of responses in the comments section. Some users expressed discomfort, with one calling the act "weird" and another stating, “One little peck ok but this is a lot 😅.” Others questioned the appropriateness, with one user commenting, “Imagine a father kisses his daughter like that bro 💀.”
Conversely, many followers defended Johnson, emphasizing the natural expression of affection between a mother and child. “I used to think this was kind of odd,” one commenter wrote. “Now I have a two-year-old son and it is literally my favorite thing in the world. I feel so loved by him!” Another user expressed support, saying, “Wow these comments are not it! Let that boy kiss his mama! He wont be doing it when he is 15, chill people.”
Questions were also raised about the evolving perceptions of parental affection, such as, “At what point did it become inappropriate for kids to kiss their parents?”
Johnson, 34, married former NFL player Andrew East in 2016. The couple has three children: Drew Hazel East, 6, Jett James East, 4, and Barrett. In a March social media photo, the family was pictured together.
Johnson has previously spoken about the challenges of motherhood. In a 2024 interview with Motherly, she described having three children as demanding but expressed gratitude for her youngest. She also opened up in May on BetterHelp’s “Mind If We Talk” podcast about experiencing postpartum depression after Barrett's birth, which caused tension in her marriage. Johnson credited therapy, facilitated by her husband, as a pivotal step in her healing process. "I never had doubt in us, and I never had doubt in Andrew,” she stated, “but I always doubt myself because I am a perfectionist and I want to succeed.”
Representatives for Johnson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.