Is it possible TikTok’s latest conservative fad won Donald Trump the election? You’ve probably heard the term “trad wife” be tossed around. The term trad wife is an abbreviation for traditional housewife, a woman who cooks, cleans, and takes care of the kids while her husband goes off to work. The classic 1950s home dynamic has become mainstream once more. It’s hard to say what precisely makes something trend on TikTok, like anything on the Tiktok algorithm, a video has a source of intrigue and more akin to that primordial video following in its footsteps. The rise of the trad wife on social media is no different. After all, people are bound to be curious about a lifestyle they know little to nothing about. The trad wife serves as a contradictory archetype to the era of dating apps and makeout sessions at the frat party. Regardless of whether they are married or not, various right-wing women on TikTok aspire to the days spent baking desserts for their man who shares her traditional values. Being a housewife is not inherently a political statement; politics is only involved when politics gets involved. Women on the religious right are at the forefront of the subculture, using the trad wife lifestyle to preach conservative values like saving yourself for marriage.
When Chad from Hinge leaves you on read, longing for the days of men showing restraint in getting physical too quickly seems like an obvious antidote to prevent further heartache. The resurgence of the trad wife comes at a time when women also find themselves frustrated by hookup culture, wanting to be seen for more than just their bodies. The dichotomy between modern dating and the romanticization of trad wives showcases an interesting game of monopoly being played with the patriarchy. Women being ushered back into a life of strict domesticity back in the fifties stems from wanting to repress World War II, which oversaw women entering the workforce tenfold from the Great War decades earlier. In 2024, the rise of the trad wife is a two-faced prophecy for the future of our society. On the one hand, we see the fruits of our labors as women paying off in the fight for equality, as American women have the freedom to be a trad wife, a fearless CEO, or an astronaut as they please. On the other hand, young, impressionable women are being conditioned to believe they should be controlled by men, with slogans like ‘my body, his choice’ becoming a trademark of puritanical women on social media.
Regardless of one’s stance on feminism, too often the basic freedoms women have nowadays get taken for granted. Women were not allowed to have credit cards in their own name until 1974, meaning their entire sense of financial stability was vested in their spouse. Nor could they practice law, easily obtain birth control or refuse sex to their husbands until the 1970s either. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have kids and be a cozy homemaker. The line is only crossed when women are being egged on by pronatalists to reduce themselves to being mothers. A prime example of just how trapped women were in the 1950s is the movie Pleasantville (1998). In the film, twins David and Jennifer get trapped in the titular black and white TV show, where they are mistaken for the kids of the picture-perfect 1950s couple, Betty and George. Through Jennifer, Betty learns about masturbation and when having a moment of privacy, gives herself an orgasm. The more sexual liberation, among other types of freedom of thought, unfolds, the more the town becomes colorized.
Without giving away too much of the film’s plot, balance is possible. Millions of women prove that they can be a devoted mother and kick ass in the workforce every single day. Giving up on having a career and tying your entire financial security to your husband is playing with fire. Most divorced women either don’t get alimony or only get a small amount to carry them until they get a job if they’ve never worked before. That’s where the illusion is shattered. Having basic bodily autonomy does not have to come at the expense of a stable home life. Forcing the trad wife lifestyle on people is no better than forcing the high-intensity career of a girlboss. It’s knowing women have the freedom to chase their dreams that should provide peace of mind. But when all is said and done, what the rise of the trad wife demonstrates is a callback to a power dynamic that compromised women’s abilities to have power over their own lives.
About Evelyn Young
Evelyn is a senior from the Chicago area majoring in Digital Media Practices and Jewish Studies with a minor in French. This past summer, she studied creative writing in Paris. Evelyn has held a variety of positions within the Crescent and is incredibly excited to begin her role as Senior Editor. After graduating from Tulane, she hopes to move to Los Angeles to pursue her film career.
Evelyn is a senior from the Chicago area majoring in Digital Media Practices and Jewish Studies with a minor in French. This past summer, she studied creative writing in Paris. Evelyn has held a variety of positions within the Crescent and is incredibly excited to begin her role as Senior Editor. After graduating from Tulane, she hopes to move to Los Angeles to pursue her film career.
