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Perfectly coiffed hair. A pinup dress. A gorgeous home-cooked meal on a decadent dining room table.
These images convey that of a « traditional wife, » a woman you might picture as being from the 1950s.
But these women – known as « trad wives, » typically Christian conservatives – are here today, and gaining attention on TikTok to the tune of nearly 187 million views. Many of their followers celebrate the lifestyle these women are aiming to showcase, but others worry they are idealizing a time when women enjoyed less autonomy and fewer rights than they have now − especially as we head into a heated election season.What does it mean to be a trad wife?
Not all trad wives are alike, according to Estee Williams, a trad wife influencer on TikTok. In her eyes, trad wives are homemakers whose priority is cooking, cleaning and being subservient to men. But such submission isn’t « degrading, » she says. It’s her choice.
« It doesn’t mean you’re below the man because if you think about it, it’s a compliment, » Williams says. « The man, he needs that woman to be beside him, to motivate him, be there for him. »
So what does Williams’ marriage look like? Her husband, an electrician, must approve major purchases she makes. But it’s not like she needs to check in with him for a pack of gum or coffee. They have a budget and try to stay within it.’Trad wife’ life called to her
Williams, 25, grew up in a traditional, conservative household. But when her parents got divorced, it turned her world upside-down.
