Why the "traditional woman" trend on TikTok is being criticized so much

White apron at the waist, hair tied back, string of pearls around the neck, dazzling smile for the camera and hands busy preparing dinner for the husband and children...These are the distinguishing features of the woman who once appeared in the advertisements of the 1950s and who is now making a strong comeback in the "Trad Wife" trend on TikTok. This is a new trend that increases the role of the so-called traditional woman, dedicated to taking care of the home and children, eager to fulfill herself inside the home and please her husband when he returns from work.

After decades of efforts for equal wages, working conditions, study and career opportunities, the "Trad Wife" movement is gaining attention again, both in the USA, in the United Kingdom, but also in other countries of the world. Among the influencers who propose this lifestyle is Estee Williams, a 26-year-old wife, married for almost two years and with 120 thousand followers on Instagram, who gives advice on how to become a perfect wife by following her example.

PHOTO: SCIENCE & SOCIETY PICTURE LIBRARY//GETTY IMAGES

Rule number one: Embrace ultra-traditional roles in your marriage! This means that the man is the one who is responsible for the income in the family, while the woman is responsible for cleaning and cooking. A concept that you take for granted, while the woman is economically dependent on the man. So, according to this trend, the woman should cook, clean the house, take care of the children and the husband and everything related to the smooth running of work and family commitments, in short without any attention to career or professional achievements.  

"It doesn't mean we're trying to take away what women have fought for," Williams explains in one of the many TikTok videos posted with the hashtag #tradwife. "There are many people who try to alienate the meaning of this trend, but the truth is that there are a lot of women who love this lifestyle," she continues.  

But, the trend is facing a lot of criticism! No traditional TikTok woman says that every woman's place is at home. We, as individuals, simply choose to be domestic. This is all. "It is not a 'movement', but rather a 'way of life', sometimes not without approaches that recall the true place of women, responsible for cooking and cleaning, as it was in the past. With the only difference that girls today they say that they have deliberately chosen this way of life, taking inspiration from those who once had no other choice.

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