Being a ‘home body’ – is being a trad wife being romanticised?

Historically, women have been limited and delegated to the private sphere, unable to participate in anything that related to the public sphere. Although feminism has challenged these expectations, the idea that a woman’s place is in the home has not entirely disappeared. Instead, it has found a new audience through the romanticisation of ‘trad wives’ on social media.

A large number of young people consume content through social media like TikTok where it is easily accessible. It allows creators to present their lifestyles to millions of viewers, including young women who are still forming their own ideas about relationships and identity.

When the term ‘trad wife’ pops up in conversation many would probably think of Ballerina Farm who quickly rose to fame on TikTok displaying her life as a trad wife. In her videos she often displays her own life, centred around homemaking, cooking and raising children, promoting how fulfilled her life is for her. However, such carefully curated content may overlook the financial side and how restricting it can be being solely dependent on one person.

Luckily, in response many women have stepped forward and challenged this idyllic image, highlighting the potential loss of financial independence and the struggles of returning to the workforce after many years outside of it. The issue, therefore, is not that being a homemaker is inherently undesirable, but that social media can romanticise it without adequately acknowledging the risks.

But does staying at home make a woman more desirable? Traditional gender expectations often associate femininity with submissiveness to a partner. Within this framework, a woman who prioritises her home and family may be viewed as an ideal partner. Yet, this raises a more important question: is she valued for her individuality, or for how well she fulfils an expected role?

There is nothing wrong with choosing to become a homemaker. For some, it offers genuine fulfilment and the opportunity to prioritise family life. The problem arises when this choice becomes an expectation, or when women are made to feel that their desirability depends on how well they conform to traditional gender roles.

Ultimately, being a ‘homebody’ should be a personal preference, not a measure of a woman's worth. A woman should be free to build a career, raise a family, do both or neither without being considered any less desirable. The real measure of a fulfilling life is not how traditionally a woman lives, but whether she has the freedom to choose it.