Selling the #SubmissiveWife: How White Tradwife Influencers Commodify Traditional Femininity

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the contradictions of how tradwife social media influencers use content creation as a means for justifying a status quo based on gender prescriptions rooted in the past, while gaining financial benefits for themselves and their families. Content analysis of 250 TikTok posts from top White women influencers indicated 42.4% of videos included traditional gender role prescriptions, and nearly all posts (89.2%) invoked the past either through statements, music, or imagery. Rather than merely describing the influencers’ choices, nearly half of the posts used tactics promoting the lifestyle (46%). Although their content portrayed influencers as wives and mothers choosing to center domestic life, the majority of posts (62.8%) made efforts to monetize the content through sponsorships and tactics to boost engagement. Only 2 of 250 videos addressed race; however, tradwife content upheld White patriarchy, reinforcing exclusionary norms and perpetuating the intersectional domination of other women and people of color. Findings highlight the dangers of normalizing restrictive gender and racial hierarchies through aesthetically appealing social media content and underscore the need for stronger media literacy among young audiences.