“A painting of a woman preparing food in a kitchen.” Photo Courtesy of Picryl
The Tradwife movement has gained increasing attention on social media in 2025, sparking debate over whether its promotion of traditional gender roles empowers women or reinforces restrictive expectations.
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By Katie Dellota
TAMPA, Fla. — The Traditional Wife (Tradwife) trend gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people spent more time at home and reconsidered their approach to work, family, and domestic life.
The rise of Tradwife, as known on social media, is described as a current trend that encourages women to adopt traditionally feminine traits, such as modesty and submission, while moving away from feminist ideals of empowerment and toward more traditional gender expectations, according to Political Research Associates in 2024.
While some women feel as though they have achieved a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment stepping into this role, others see this pushback against the progression of modern feminism as another obstacle to overcome.
From an affirmative standpoint, becoming a Tradwife can be empowering and give women a greater sense of purpose in their daily lives. Women take pride in their role, seeing it as a gift to create an efficient family household, a working unit with the purpose of keeping each other intact; this is seen as an honorable role.
Thus, while they may believe that they are required to stick with these family-centered tasks, “People can feel personally fulfilled and experience joy doing things that align with their values even if this is within a context of restrained choices,” said Miriam Liss, professor of psychology at Mary Washington University.
A 2026 Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data found that 52% of different-sex couples with children under 18 had two full-time working parents in 2025, compared with 46% in 2015 and 31% in 1975. Meanwhile, the share of families in which the father worked full time and the mother was not employed fell from 42% in 1975 to 23% in 2025. Tradwives may not see standard cooking, cleaning, and nurturing as work of less value, but rather as skilled labor, a role that needs to be filled, just as the financial responsibility of a household must be managed by someone as well.
Many women believe that stepping into the role of mother, wife, and homemaker also allows for the fulfillment of “feeling closer to God,” or “feeling more spiritual,” as described by Rebecca L. Stotzer, professor and director of distance education at the University of Hawai’i.
A 2026 study published in Social Media + Society analyzed more than 200,000 Tumblr posts and found that after 2021, Tradwife-related content became increasingly centered on traditional gender roles, religion, and homemaking. A vast amount of this content surrounding traditional gender roles has stemmed from Biblical ideals, specifically the Proverbs 31 passage describing a woman who is deeply devoted to her family and household, while also being capable, hardworking, and independent. For some, these traditions offer purpose, faith, and a sense of belonging.
Many Tradwives believe there is an aspect of their role that may be misunderstood, specifically when told they are put into a mold of who to be when they make a personal decision to take on a lifestyle of homemaking and mothering.
“The contemporary second-wave feminism was highly critical of homemaking, but it was referring to a different time, where women were often systematically denied key rights, constrained by misogyny,” said Laura Jane Bower, a lecturer in criminology and victimology at the University of Portsmouth, in an email interview. “Many women would feel empowered and that they made an agentic decision to become a homemaker.”
Outside of the home, women employed full-time in the U.S. report greater engagement in their jobs and a stronger desire to advance their careers compared with men. However, they are also more likely to experience burnout.
“Many men’s refusal to participate equally in domestic labor is a key driver of the Tradwife movement and why it has gained traction over the last few years,” wrote Laura R. Ramsey, a professor of psychology at Bridgewater State University, in an email interview.
With money to be earned, a household to manage, and countless daily responsibilities, some women believe adding a career on top of it all would simply be too much to balance.
“Tradwife creators are responding to this real issue: they are sympathizing with women for the sheer amount of work they have to do, they are recognizing the unhappiness this causes, and offering a ‘solution,’” wrote Cassidy Rempel, a Ph.D. candidate in rhetoric, politics and culture in the Department of Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Modern feminists, however, may see a different problem: the Tradwife movement can create an idealized and rigid standard for womanhood, leaving some women feeling as though they are failing if they cannot meet those expectations or fulfill what they are told they were “created” to do.
“The problem is that Tradwives sell a fantasy of feminine joy where the only real way for a woman to be happy is to submit to a man and to be inherently feminine — and not because they want to be but because it is necessary to keep a quality man,” said Rempel. Even if these women are making an agentic decision, some may feel pressured to follow a set of feminine standards to please and keep their husbands.
On top of what may seem like unrealistic gender role expectations, women can create a vulnerable position for themselves when they are without personal income or any form of education. This becomes especially concerning if circumstances ultimately lead to divorce, leaving women who have built their entire identity around the Tradwife role facing an uncertain future.
Modern feminists view this trend as contradictory to itself.
“The most popular Tradwives earn a lot of money from social media and have a lot of support behind the scenes,” said Ramsey.
While the most visible promoters of the Tradwife lifestyle can profit from their platforms, women without the same social media following, financial resources, or behind-the-scenes support may be left with the lifestyle’s expectations without the financial security that makes it possible.
Being in a position without a college degree or personal income, as a large percentage of Tradwives are, according to Pew Research Center, could put a woman into a position of financial instability in the face of domestic violence due to her being entirely dependent on her husband.
“What they [popular Tradwives] are directing other women to do is to quit their paid work and focus on domestic life, which leaves women financially vulnerable and at increased risk of domestic violence, among other consequences,” wrote Ramsey.
Ultimately, critics argue that a lifestyle built around complete financial dependence on a spouse can leave women with fewer options and greater vulnerability if a marriage becomes unhealthy or ends.
The Tradwife movement reflects a larger conversation about women’s autonomy and personal fulfillment. As this movement continues to grow online, the discourse is less about right or wrong and more about supporting the lifestyle that best suits each individual.
“The most important thing is not denigrating and shaming when a free choice is made, but making sure that clear warning signs for abuse are corrected in media narratives,” said Bower.