Have you heard about #Tradwife, the trend that’s causing a stir on Instagram and TikTok? The name is short for Traditional Wife. And here’s the thing: the tradwife subculture is big, and it’s getting bigger. The topic has over 300 million views on TikTok. So let’s dive into this subject and see why Gen Z and Millennial housewives are choosing to live like women in the 1950s. Picture aprons and Teflon cookware sets as fetish objects.
Moreover, the tradwife has become the nightmare of feminists, serving as living proof that feminism has failed by neglecting mothers and housewives. Keep reading to understand the pros and cons of the Tradwife movement.
What Exactly is a Tradwife?
Straight to the point, a tradwife is a married woman who focuses on homemaking and supporting her husband as the primary breadwinner. But it’s important to note that there are different types of tradwives.
Gold Digger Tradwife
This type of tradwife believes that a woman has a secondary role in marriage, where she is responsible for supporting the husband who works and provides for her. The central idea is to support the model where a woman is financially cared for by a husband. Her number one duty is to keep the house and herself perfect to please her provider. The deal is submission in exchange for economic security.
On social media, the tradwife rocks a pin-up style aesthetic—sexy and overly feminine. Many pair this with religious texts, framing this submission as God’s will. Here, not only do feminists get upset, but Catholic women do too!
Stay-at-Home Mom is Also a Tradwife
The other type of tradwife is the stay-at-home mom. The difference is that this woman chose to stay home to better raise her children and perfect household management. She, equal to her husband, made a free choice to focus her maternal instinct, femininity, and intelligence in favour of the family. The stay-at-home mom stays updated on her interests and profession because one day, when the children grow up, she might return to the workforce. Although considered a tradwife, most stay-at-home moms decide, with their husbands, what is best for their families. And for these couples, the family comes first.
These women who want to have the right to stay home are forgotten by the feminist movement. The latter focused exclusively on the woman who has a career and also on those who do not want a family. The feminist agenda concentrates on abortion and equality in professional life. It was forgotten that most women are concerned with their children’s education. According to Pew Research Center’s Social and Demographic Trends, 60% of Americans say a child is better off with at least one parent at home. Another 35% said kids are just as well off with both parents working outside the home. If the feminists want to keep relevance, is it not time to look kindly at Pro-life and Stay-at-Home Moms?
Is the Tradwife a Catholic Trend?
The Catholic Church equally values the role of men and women in society. But it also values the differences between genders. Women have unique organs and a hormonal system designed for procreation. Most women feel a natural call to motherhood. And using free will, the freedom of choice that the Church greatly values, she can choose to be a full-time mother or a mother with a career outside the home. Both types of wives and mothers are respected and valued by the Church. However, both have the same responsibility to provide the means for their children to grow up physically and mentally healthy.
The Church does encourage women (if they have the means) to dedicate themselves to creating a happy home and healthy children, who are the future of our society. According to the Institute for Family Studies, “strong majorities of mothers under 55 agree that housework is as fulfilling as employment. Depending on the year and the survey you prefer to cite, between 53% and 79% of mothers had this view“. From this, we can conclude that being a Stay-at-Home Mom is a happy choice for many women. Or rather, for many couples.
Summary
A tradwife is a trend that promotes a submissive lifestyle in exchange for financial stability. Meanwhile, Stay-at-Home Moms trade their careers in the name of their children’s proper education. Recent studies show that children cared for by at least one parent have better emotional and academic performance in school. They also show that the life of a woman who chooses to stay home is far from miserable. You and your husband together can make the right decision for your family. And this places you in the new category of women that no one talks much about, the feminist Stay-at-home mom. It means, your life is made by choices, not submission.