If the average American were asked what they imagine the priorities of the feminist movement are these days, most people would likely cite concerns like “fighting abortion bans” or “getting justice for sexual violence victims” or boring mainstays like “equal pay for equal work.” But if you listen in to the world of right-wing social media influencers, they have a different answer. To them, feminists are single-mindedly obsessed with destroying women who identify as “tradwives.”
Who’s forcing anyone? Can you really not imagine someone wanting to be in a traditional relationship?
It is not so much about people wanting to be in a traditional relationship. I understand wanting that. The tradwife TikTok trend is more than that, though. It sells a fantasy under the illusion of reality.
Man as leader and breadwinner with woman as homemaker and primary caregiver for the children? That is great if it works for the partnership! The problem is that the content goes beyond this. Always actively pretty and made up? Always submissive? Always catering to the husband’s needs with no concern for their own? This is not a healthy place for a wife to be because it is not a healthy dynamic for any person.
In a real “traditional” relationship, the partners are partners. It is not explicitly said, but this content pushes further into territory where the woman gives up autonomy to her husband. It is also not really aimed at women. The content finds it’s audience with men who want this fantasy. And you know what? The fantasy is fine! It is ok to fantasize about having a submissive wife who caters to your every whim. This content, this role of absolute servitude, is being served to lonely young men as fact. It is being sold as something attainable. There are no women lining up to give up their autonomy for any random dude.
Again, it is totally cool if you want to embrace traditional gender roles. Do what makes life good for you, and find a partner who wants the same! Just do not expect that you could ever get a woman to give up everything for you unless you are really, truly giving her everything first. Even then, most women would not want that.
To me this kind of trend is no different to any other trend on social media. There’s certainly no shortage of stupid trends coming from social media and by now people should learn to distinguish real life from TikTok. The tradwife cringe doesn’t seem more or less harmful than the onlfans girl trend. And there’s probably no point in waiting for a salon article on how harmful sex work can be.
Personally I think you should be able to sell people any kind of fantasy you want to because that’s what these trends are - a fantasy.
Who’s forcing anyone? Did you read the article before commenting?
No but now that I skimmed through it the article kind of seems to prove the point of the people saying progressives/lefties are triggered by tradwives