A mother stands in the kitchen, putting a pan of dough in the oven. She watches her child play in the living room on the floor while her husband is at work. She begins to clean the kitchen and starts dinner that her husband will come home to. This is one of the many definitions of a tradwife, a woman who has taken on a radically traditional role in today’s society.
Tradwives have significantly increased as they have become influencers who portray their lives as tradwives on social media. Many of these trade wives see motherhood as the highest calling but some are not even mothers–nor wives; some are referred to as stay-at-home girlfriends.
Many people, especially women, have taken offense to this new portrayal as it emphasizes rigid gender roles and does not express femininity; a stay-at-home mother is known for cooking, cleaning, watching her children and having a husband that goes to work every day to provide for the family financially. Others have spoken out saying this is a positive portrayal as women are supposed to pursue this role.
Pursuing a more traditional role as a woman or wanting a more diverse option both express the role of a woman and femininity. In totality, both represent a will of dedication and the responsibility of taking time and effort throughout the day.
It is odd why women feel the need to return to traditional roles when Michael Hout’s Department of Sociology, a New York University study, explains that each generation increasingly becomes more open-minded. This means that throughout a given time, society accepts more ideas that revolve around the youngest generation. This creates an environment that moves away from the past, creating new patterns and ideas. But, the increase of influencers on TikTok or Instagram portraying their tradwife lives may have something to do with it.
Since the beginning of history, women have always been portrayed as docile caretakers. Throughout time, women have earned the respect to pursue jobs they could not pursue in the past, such as becoming a lawyer, a doctor, a soldier or even a manager. However, now it seems many women are beginning to turn back time and fulfill traditional roles that are no longer relevant.
The reason many women find this returned idea offensive is it serves as a “rebuttal to the feminist ideals of education, career and financial independence”, novelist, author and writer, Kat Rosenfield said. Tradwives seem to be discrediting women’s equality one social media video at a time, but in reality, many of these women do not seek to convince others that this is how a woman needs to live.
The tradwife trend can be linked to the increase in social media and the coronavirus pandemic. Many women experiencing the time isolated at home allowed them to begin traditional activities like baking, cooking and cleaning, as they had more free time. Although, this behavior has always been linked to the fundamentals of living throughout history.
Comparing how society was a hundred years ago and current times, the role and idea of a woman have changed. Today, women have more opportunities, jobs and freedom. Sexism is playing a part in the new tradwife trend as many people believe women are meant to devote their lives to their children and husbands. As well, many believe tradwives encourage these sexist remarks as they are representing a traditional woman.
According to tradwife and TikToker, Estee Williams, “[Being a tradewife] doesn’t mean that we are trying to take away what women fought for. There are a lot of people trying to make this a sinister thing or put some other, darker meaning behind the term ‘tradewife.’ Nobody is doing that. No trade wife TikToker is saying every woman’s place is in their home. We, as individuals, are just choosing to be homemakers. That is all.”
With the emergence of the tradwife trend, many social factors in society are being reevaluated and discussed. Many do believe the tradwife trends create a negative look on women who do not prefer this lifestyle while others feel it is an essential role in life. However, all women pursuing a career or lifestyle they want should be recognized and honored, even if it involves responsibilities at home or responsibilities in a certain career. Women are a major part of society, and understanding the history and journey from then and now should always be appreciated.
