Dr. James Emery White and Alexis Drye discuss the rising trend of 'trad wives', Christian homemakers with conservative values embracing traditional roles. They explore the role of social media in popularizing this lifestyle, the concept of submission in traditional marriages, the appeal of 'trad wives' influencers on TikTok, and the confusion surrounding traditional gender roles in today's society.
Trad wives embrace traditional values of homemaking and submission to their husbands, gaining popularity through social media.
The appeal of the trad wife movement lies in the desire for stability, tradition, and the portrayal of glamorous 1950s aesthetics.
Deep dives
Trad wives and the rise of the traditional values movement
The podcast discusses the rise of a group of people called 'trad wives' who reject modern ideas about marriage and embrace traditional values. Trad wives are typically Christian, conservative, and prioritize homemaking, cooking, cleaning, and being subservient to their husbands. The attraction to the trad wife movement is primarily among Christian conservatives who see it as a way to counter certain aspects of feminism. The movement has gained popularity through social media platforms like TikTok, where trad wives share videos of their 1950s-inspired lifestyle. While there is diversity among trad wives demographically and ideologically, they all share an attraction to the traditional values of the past.
The appeal of the 1950s aesthetic and lifestyle
The podcast explores the appeal of the 1950s aesthetic and lifestyle for trad wives. Many women are attracted to the idea of a glamorous and confident portrayal of traditional values, as seen in the perfectly coiffed hair, pin-up dresses, and elaborate home-cooked meals. The 1950s connection represents a retreat from the complexities and challenges of the modern world, providing a sense of stability and simplicity. However, it is important to recognize that the portrayal on social media may not reflect the reality of everyday life for trad wives. It is the fantasy and uniqueness of the 1950s image that appeals to many women, who often long for stability and tradition in their own lives.
Submission, complementarianism, and traditional gender roles
The podcast discusses the concept of submission in the context of trad wives and traditional gender roles. While complementarianism, the belief in differing roles for men and women, may be associated with the movement, the focus is more on a traditional view of submission within marriage. Trad wives view submission as acknowledging and accepting the God-given order and authority within the family. They emphasize a mutual and loving view of submission, where husbands are called to lead with selfless love and wives are called to respect and support their husbands. However, it is important to note that the movement on social media may not fully explore the mutual aspects of submission and instead focuses more on the wife's role.
Attraction and criticisms of the trad wife movement
The podcast delves into why many women are attracted to the trad wife movement and some of the criticisms surrounding it. The movement appeals to women due to the portrayal of traditional family values, stability, and a desire to create a sense of home and family that may have been lacking in their own upbringing. The emphasis on traditional skills, like cooking from scratch and maintaining a home, may also be appealing in a culture that often undervalues these tasks. However, it is important to recognize that the social media representation of trad wives may not be a realistic reflection of everyday life. Critics argue that the movement often glamorizes a lifestyle that was not universally positive for women in the 1950s. There is also a larger cultural confusion about gender roles, with some viewing the movement as a response to the feminist narrative that downplays traditional roles. Overall, the attraction and criticisms of the trad wife movement highlight the ongoing societal debate surrounding gender and traditional values.
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss the rising trend of women identifying as “trad wives.” The typical “trad wives” are Christian, conservative, homemakers handling all of the cooking and cleaning, and many who even adopt the dress and style of the women of the 1950s. And they're increasingly gaining attention and followers on TikTok with nearly 187 million views.
Episode Links
While in a recent podcast Dr. White and Alexis discussed a group called the “never marrieds” (you can listen to that episode HERE) who are quite happy with their independence, the “trad wives” go to the other extreme, taking pride in submitting to their husbands. In an article discussed in the episode titled, “What is a 'trad wife'? These controversial women are drawing attention – and opinions,” one “trad wife” stated that she doesn't even venture out of the house without her husband's permission.
This was definitely an interesting conversation, and brought up two other podcasts on related topics that would be worth going back to listen to. These include: CCP72: On Toxic Masculinity and CCP21: On Gender.
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