Unveiling informal learning of gender roles on Tik Tok: The #Stayathomegirlfriends phenomenon

Abstract

This study delves into the emergent and polarising representations of women on social media by analysing the issue of #StayAtHomeGirlfriends (SAHGF) profiles on TikTok. These profiles depict young women showcasing their domestic lives, emphasising activities such as cooking, cleaning, relaxing, meditating and exercising while being financially supported by their partners. The SAHGF trend emerged on TikTok in 2022 and received over 328.3 million views in one year. The research method involved a thematic analysis of three TikTok SAHGF case studies from different social contexts, focusing on both the creators’ self-representations and the audience's reception, as reflected in user comments. The findings point to a contradictory relationship with instances of postfeminism and popular feminism, showing the use of social media as gender learning environments, where digital creators become informal educators transmitting norms, values and lifestyles, but also ‘triggers’ for dialogue and critical discussion.