A social media trend called “Trad Wife,” or traditional wife has been met with some praise but backlash as well. The phrase Trad Wife is a way of life in which women adopt conventional Christian inspired gender roles in marriage. This role could include frequently doing housework, raising children, and providing for their families as their top priority. To be clear, the idea of the trad wife is that she is the homemaker. There may or may not be children in the picture. In either case, the wife in this role focuses on traditional aspects of homemaking, such as cooking from scratch, cleaning, and assisting their husbands in preparing for work.
Be Happy, The Way We Prefer.
As for employment, traditional Christian wives will either not be employed or at least not be employed in a manner that threatens the traditional family. Critics contend that this lifestyle may perpetuate antiquated stereotypes or restrict women’s possibilities and autonomy. Various YouTube talking heads have described this lifestyle as prison-like or dull. The same outlets who claim women have the right to choose their lifestyle judge women harshly for selecting this one. Do women have the right to choose anything except being a traditional Christian wife? Under the guise of modern feminism, we are telling women to make their own choices but not make choices that will upset other feminists.
If It Isn’t Broke…
When women choose to be single, not be mothers, and work in male-centered careers, the media often celebrates them. What if a woman decides to be a traditional Christian wife, and it stops there? Will she still be celebrated on social media and among her peers? Will there be a television show or film about her life? In prior decades, women were once appreciated and even expected to be in this role. Before World War II, women were mostly restricted to being stay-at-home mothers and wives due to social conventions and economic systems. This stemmed from conventional gender roles that viewed males as the primary breadwinners and emphasized women’s household duties. Also, during this period, divorce rates, particularly in Western countries, were relatively low compared to the post-war period.
The nuclear family’s traditional wife was portrayed in a picturesque way in films and commercials. It was seen as an honor to take care of a family. Also, it was not as if she was encouraged not to have a life outside of the home. Hobbies, church involvement, PTA meetings, etc., may also fill her time. On TikTok today, the query list would be miles long if you search for women complaining that they do not have enough time for their kids, personal goals, or activities. Today’s feminist woman typically rejects the nuclear family, rejects the role of the traditional wife, and then endlessly complains about being on their own. We do not see millions of trad wives complaining about their misery on social media. Could there be a reason for this?