A year ago, the terms “trad wife” or homesteader influencers might have been unfamiliar to you. However, on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, a community of housewives has gained significant traction. With creators like Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman, renowned as Ballerina Farm, attracting millions of supporters, their content has become hard to ignore.

In a politically charged atmosphere, many influencers choose not to express their beliefs. But while trad wife creators may not directly align with a political stance, they do promote a lifestyle and family values echoed by figures like Donald Trump and JD Vance. Their agenda, which seeks to “Make America Great Again,” emphasizes the importance of traditional family structures.

According to experts in gender studies and social media, trad wife creators have stirred cultural discussions regarding politics and a nostalgic longing for an idealized past—even without overt political affiliations. This trend appears to align with a growing demographic of women and young voters backing Trump.

“Trad wives advocate a lifestyle that inherently carries political implications,” explains Jess Rauchberg, an assistant professor of communication technologies at Seton Hall University.

With increasing skepticism towards mainstream media and a rising trust in social influencers as credible cultural leaders, young audiences may be viewing homestead creators as admirable figures.

Juliet A. Williams, a gender studies professor at UCLA, comments on the impact of romanticizing history: “There is a significant focus on the aspirations of working-class white males yearning for a time when simply working to provide for one’s family was seen as fulfilling. When framed this way, their nostalgia seems both reasonable and honorable.”

Defining a trad wife

Trad wives advocate for “traditional” gender roles, where married women primarily take on responsibilities like cooking, cleaning, childcare, and being loyal spouses.

While critics may view this movement as glamorizing a past when women had fewer liberties, many women in the trad wife community assert that their choices are not degrading. They emphasize that their lifestyle is a conscious decision.

Misinterpretations of trad wife TikTok as representative of women’s historical experiences

On October 31, a young woman gained attention for her statement expressing a desire to be a stay-at-home mom and homemaker during The Free Press’ “Swing States Debates.” She shared, “I dream of living on a homestead, milking cows, and caring for my kids, but the current economy compels me to work full-time, which I find exhausting. I’d return to the 1950s in a heartbeat to avoid this stress.”

However, this longing for the past is based on a narrative that, according to many scholars, is misleading.

One user expressed frustration, stating, “People belittle women’s studies as insignificant, but this illustrates its importance. Without learning about women’s history, many genuinely believe that trad wife TikTok accurately reflects women’s past experiences.”

In the age of traditional housewives, being a homemaker was not necessarily empowering nor universally desired.

Williams notes, “Until the 1970s, women couldn’t even acquire a credit card without their husband’s approval. There wouldn’t be women openly sharing their lives on Instagram back then.”

Consider Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique” (1963), where she argues that women fell victim to false ideals portraying fulfillment and identity as tied to their roles as wives and mothers. This constrained identity contributed to widespread dissatisfaction among housewives.

According to Williams, “The very essence of a trad wife’s content appeals to the fulfillment found in domestic responsibilities, yet the sharing of such experiences online indicates a craving for recognition that challenges the notion of a woman’s place being solely in the home.”

Interestingly, many trad wives are entrepreneurs, building substantial social media followings that support their lifestyle—a reality not achievable for most Americans. For example, Neeleman and her husband, Daniel, inherit a fortune from a billion-dollar airline business, while Nara Smith and her husband, Lucky, are also models. With followers exceeding 10 million on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, these creators can thrive as content creators.

Williams concludes, “A fulfilling life is one that feels right personally, rather than one crafted for social media’s approval.”

Content creation is often dismissed as trivial, especially as it is seen as “feminized,” according to Rauchberg. “There’s an assumption that it lacks seriousness and impact, yet every action we take has political implications.”

Young men are also drawn to the idea of a “traditional” household. As Williams mentions, the trad wife phenomenon may suggest that more women are inclined to embrace traditional gender roles.

The Influence of Trad Wife Content

According to Rauchberg, the links between trad wife content, traditional gender roles, and conservative beliefs can be quite nuanced.

However, as an increasing number of younger individuals gravitate towards conservative politics, Rauchberg and Williams suggest that there’s a clear connection to be drawn.

During the VP debate in October, Vance expressed his desire for the Republican party to be thoroughly “pro-family.”

“I want to help mothers afford to have children. I want to make it easier for young families to buy homes suitable for raising their children,” he stated.

According to AP, 47% of voters aged 18-29 supported Trump in this election, up from 36% in 2020. Moreover, the proportion of women aged 18-44 who voted for Trump increased from 37% to 44%, while 89% of Black women supported Harris in this election cycle.

Post-election, many of Smith’s followers speculated about her political stance as her husband, Lucky, had liked a post from Trump on Instagram. Their political support remains unverified, but reactions were quick. One user remarked: “What else could they be?” while another commented, “Clearly, many people have missed the point.”

Rauchberg believes that contemporary trad wives represent a stark contrast to the 2010s’ “girlboss” movement, which championed politically engaged women, actively participating in both public and domestic spheres. In many trad wife videos, women predominantly engage in home-making activities. Some include gentle voiceovers narrating their tasks.

“It’s reminiscent of the saying that women should be seen and not heard,” says Rauchberg. “You are visible fulfilling family roles in a domestic setting, yet your voice isn’t heard in political discourse. That’s not your space. Stepping into those arenas is seen as crossing a line.”