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Playing house is something many of us did as children. Traditional roles assigned to boys and girls marked the different things that would be expected of us as adults.
Some women were even forced to take home economics classes. Cooking, sewing, and other tasks that would prepare us for the roles of a future domestic life.
The ‘tradwife,’ short for ‘traditional wife,' trend was highlighted all over social media for most of 2024, mirroring some concepts and expectations that for many women are now considered outdated.
Yet the trend has somehow made these expectations desirable again, particularly in heterosexual marriages and relationships.
While many of these skills can also be hobbies, in the tradwife trend they are viewed as the counter to the bread-winning role of husbands.
To this end, a woman, or wife in the case of marriage, embraces traditional gender roles that focus on homemaking through domestic duties and family care.
Smiling children scarfing down homemade sourdough bread in a spotless kitchen, no TV in sight, are pictured with the wife in the background, joyful in her contribution to her family life.
Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with cooking homemade meals, restricting screen time for little ones, or any of the other principles that are depicted in these images.
Stay-at-home moms, an honorable role that some women choose for their lives, is also not the focus of the critique of the trend.
Rather, the critiques focus on the glorification of traditional gender roles through this aesthetically curated portrayal that echoes through social media.
Parents Magazine outlines the difference between a tradwife and a stay-at-home mom, two terms that have been mistakenly used interchangeably.
Stay-at-home motherhood is typically a temporary role that mothers take on, often due to impediments to adequate and affordable child care.
Tradwives are committed to adhering to traditional gender roles in a very specific manner, often romanticizing an unequal balance of home duties.
The tradwife trend is at odds with the modern feminist ideals that seek to create a greater balance in duties and roles between men and women.
The tradwife trend is quite niche, precisely due to these feminist ideals that have already been highly integrated into society, particularly regarding gender roles.
Yet, its appeal comes down to perceptions of a worry-free life for these women, as tradwives have their husbands providing for them financially.
Of course, one of the challenges to this ideal is an issue often highlighted by the feminist movements over the decades; financial dependence on a husband.
Most American households cannot meet their financial needs on one salary alone, due to the rising cost of living and the costs attributed to childcare.
In addition, partnerships can go wrong. A sudden separation can leave a woman vulnerable without a financial plan of her own and the means to support herself.
This issue has been a historical plight in terms of women’s emancipation, as many have found themselves trapped in abusive relationships without the means to escape.
Less-than-ideal circumstances can occur suddenly, without warning. Embracing the glorified tradwife trend can seem appealing for some who are eager to spend more time with their families and have a picturesque lifestyle.
Yet, these circumstances can change and women have to be able to navigate the challenges that may come up without fear of ending up homeless or in unfavorable circumstances.
Sources: (Parents) (The New Yorker) (The Guardian)
According to Parents magazine, the trend can be sourced to Hannah Neelemen. Neeleman is a “Julliard-trained ballerina who gave up her dream to be a professional dancer when she met her husband.”
Neeleman was later crowned Mrs. America 2023. She and her husband have eight children and live on a farm in Utah.
Neeleman is a powerful influencer. She adheres to traditional beauty standards and shares imagery of an idyllic home life filled with “wholesome activities far away from technology."
But her followers noticed a little detail that makes Neeleman’s life possible. Her husband, Daniel, is the son of the owner of JetBlue (not to mention five other airlines).
Neeleman’s stove alone costs $30,000, more than many American women take home a year from their full-time jobs.
Through this lens, the dutiful role of women includes baking, cooking, cleaning, and sewing, mirroring many of the skills we were supposed to acquire in home economics.
Analyses of the trend’s contemporary version reveal a level of servitude ingrained in its practice. The curated imagery portrays elaborate, picturesque lives.
housewife
Depictions of elaborate daily home-cooked meals, spotless homes, and freshly baked goods, and other images of perfected domesticity have somehow made a comeback. The 'tradwife' trend refers to women who take on traditional gendered roles in their marriages in a way that's almost cosplay. Distinct from the role of a stay-at-home mom, the 'tradwife' is a product of home economics, in which the aesthetics of an idealized1950s family life are reiterated in contemporary living.
So what's the issue? Click on to read more.
Bursting the bubble of the 'tradwife'
What's with this fantasy of domesticity?
LIFESTYLE Trends
Depictions of elaborate daily home-cooked meals, spotless homes, and freshly baked goods, and other images of perfected domesticity have somehow made a comeback. The 'tradwife' trend refers to women who take on traditional gendered roles in their marriages in a way that's almost cosplay. Distinct from the role of a stay-at-home mom, the 'tradwife' is a product of home economics, in which the aesthetics of an idealized1950s family life are reiterated in contemporary living.
So what's the issue? Click on to read more.