Opinion: Tradwives by Alex Lu

A woman’s right to choose. It’s been brought up several times throughout history, playing a role in numerous topics, from marriage to work to abortion. Now, we argue over the right of a woman to choose her role in a relationship.

The women dubbed tradwives often work like traditional 1950s housewives, tending to domestic labor while their husbands go off to work. The role is centered around gender roles, with each side having its specific place in the world. The concept itself has sparked frequent debate regarding feminism and where these women fit in. At first glance, the idea might seem romantic. It feels good caring for those a person may know, such as their children or family. Looking back, the general atmosphere of the 1950s was fun, bright, and filled with color. The families of the time seemed almost ideal, every member wearing a smile on their faces. From the films and posters from the decade, a person could say that people were happier back then.

Still, the time of the 1950s shouldn’t be romanticized so quickly, with no-fault divorces still being illegal and women not being allowed to have their own credit cards. The latter caused women to be financially dependent on their husbands, not being allowed to make such purchases. The role of the tradwife still allows for weaponized incompetence: their partner may say they don’t know how to cook and push such a duty onto them, for instance. And domestic abuse was frequent yet undocumented, with the exact rate of cases only beginning to be recorded in the 1970s. And what’s more - racism! The modern tradwife we know is a romanticized version, not bothering to portray the dangers glued to this way of life.

Furthermore, these women are completely incompatible with traditional men. The modern traditional man tends to look for women to “tame,” like a little Petruchio looking for his Kate. Despite the desire both parties may share, the tradwife may seem too docile for such a man. And these men like a challenge - or, to be blunt, a lack of consent from their partner.

The tradwife is different from the housewife in her perpetuation of the gender roles deeply entrenched in modern society. She is the homemaker, the cook, the maid, the nanny, everything her husband will not be. But the housewife is not bound in the same way. She may be in a temporary position, or doing her part for the joy of it, not solely because that’s what people of her gender do.

The main reason we know about the tradwife phenomenon is because of their posts on social media, such as TikTok. They do the filming, the photography, the editing, the posting - everything their husbands do not do for them. It makes the whole thing seem very odd, especially with monetized accounts, where the tradwives are paid for their labor regardless of their philosophies.

Overall, the idea of the tradwife is a romanticized one, looking at the positive aspects of past decades and casting the negatives aside. It is common for many to romanticize the past, but such times should also be seen with their flaws - all as one whole unit. We can only hope and act for a better future.