A remarkable new trend has emerged in which women send themselves into the kitchen and share on social media how great it is. This trend, known as "tradwife", is a modern twist on the traditional housewife, reinforced by social media. While fashion trends are often iterations, this particular movement brings with it a new dynamic and controversy.
Tradwives claim to be the real feminists by choosing to live a life without work. This evokes mixed reactions, with some feminists stressing that freedom of choice is precisely the goal of feminism. The problem arises when this movement goes beyond just a personal lifestyle choice and is associated with the 'alt-right' movement, especially in the US. Here, promoting traditional roles for white women is linked to white supremacist ideals, encouraging women to submit to their husbands and focus on having as many white children as possible.
The tradwife movement, though perhaps innocent-looking, carries with it a deeper and worrying ideology. It raises the question of whether other women, especially from minorities, really have the choice to work or choose a partner of a different ethnicity. So this trend is not just a matter of 'choice feminism', but touches on broader social and racial issues.
It all started with a4 paper and HB pencils. As a child I was often impressed by how beautiful the world around me was. The urge to capture this beautiful world, and to show the people around me what I saw, was actually there from the beginning. If.. Read more…