In a TikTok posted on Jan. 4, Lucia (@lucia.davoo) shows a montage of her and her boyfriend. The overlay text of the video states that in heterosexual relationships, women will act motherly toward their male partner, who will act childlike.
"When a boy is truly in love he will act like a child," reads the text of the video. "But when a girl is truly in love she will act like a mother."
The video has not only been viewed over 6 million times, it has also gotten over 13,000 comments.
While the narration used in the TikTok is not Lucia's, commenters have picked up on Freudian themes in her video—which may have been inadvertent. Psychologist Sigmund Freud coined the term Oedipal complex "to describe a child's feelings of desire for his or her opposite-sex parent," according to Verywell Mind. The term Oedipal refers to the Greek myth of Oedipus, who married his own mother.
TikTok users saw Lucia's video as the Oedipal complex at work.
"Freud has done it again," commented @arilekhraj.
"Sigmund would be overjoyed by this news," wrote @culpr1tt.
TikTok user @joan.milbs even posted a duet of the video that's gone viral, in which she wrote "Freud would have a field day with this y'all."
@joan.milbs #duet with @luciadavoo “ARE WE ABSOLUTELY SURE WHAT DIRECTION WE’RE GOING???” #freud #psychologytiktok
♬ original sound - Mitch Mullins
However, some commenters under Lucia's video disagreed with the Freudian interpretation.
"I don't think it means the women will act like the man's mother," commented @angd213. "More like she wants to take care of him, protect, care, support and nurture."
Others rejected the notion of a woman acting motherly toward her male partner.
"Immediately no," commented @mima_.
"When a boy is truly in love he will not expect his girlfriend to be his second mom," wrote @briarosario, creating a play on @lucia.davoo's words.
"No way in hell am I dating a man that acts like a child," commented @makennacosttoomuch.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @lucia.davoo via TikTok comment.
