Reynand Wu
In recent weeks, a striking phenomenon has garnered significant attention: the increasing visibility of women on the political right who deftly straddle two seemingly disparate archetypes of womanhood – the ambitious "girlboss" and the domestically focused "tradwife." This emergent duality reveals a subtle yet profound connection between conservative feminine ideals and a particular strain of individualistic, market-driven feminism, a link that warrants closer examination for its broader implications on gender roles, political discourse, and societal expectations.
The Emergence of a Dual Persona in Conservative Politics
Recent political events have brought this phenomenon into sharp relief. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, for instance, chose to deliver her rebuttal to the State of the Union address from the intimate setting of her kitchen. While a seemingly innocuous backdrop, this decision strategically invoked an image of traditional domesticity, aiming to connect with a segment of the electorate that values family and home. Simultaneously, Britt, a former chief of staff to a U.S. Senator and the youngest Republican woman ever elected to the Senate, embodies the "girlboss" ethos of professional achievement and political power. Her career trajectory, coupled with her public persona, exemplifies a sophisticated navigation of both worlds.
Similarly, Michele Morrow, a conservative activist from North Carolina, recently achieved a significant political victory, being elected as the state Superintendent of Education. Morrow, whose campaign prominently highlighted her identity as a wife and mother, cultivated an image that prioritized traditional family values and domestic roles. Yet, her successful foray into electoral politics and her assumption of a high-profile statewide office undeniably position her as a powerful figure within the political landscape, demonstrating the assertive, goal-oriented drive often associated with the "girlboss" archetype. These examples are not isolated incidents but rather symptomatic of a growing trend within conservative circles, where women are strategically leveraging and integrating aspects of both identities to resonate with diverse audiences and achieve their objectives.
Understanding the Archetypes: Girlboss and Tradwife
To fully comprehend this convergence, it is essential to delineate the characteristics and origins of both the "girlboss" and "tradwife" ideologies.
The Girlboss Phenomenon: A Decade of Market Feminism
The term "girlboss" gained widespread currency following the publication of Sheryl Sandberg’s 2013 best-selling book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. Sandberg, then the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, posited that women could achieve parity in the workplace by adopting more assertive behaviors, akin to their male counterparts, and actively seeking out leadership opportunities. This "lean in" philosophy became a cornerstone of what is often referred to as "market feminism" or "individualistic feminism," advocating for women’s professional advancement within existing corporate structures. The core tenets included self-advocacy, ambition, networking, and a belief that personal effort and strategic choices could overcome systemic barriers.
While initially lauded as an empowering manifesto, Lean In and the broader "girlboss" movement faced increasing criticism. Critics argued that it was largely colorblind and class-blind, primarily benefiting privileged women who already possessed significant social and economic capital. It was seen as placing the onus of inequality on individual women’s choices and ambition, rather than addressing deeply entrenched structural issues such such as the gender pay gap, lack of affordable childcare, and workplace discrimination. Data consistently shows that despite efforts to "lean in," women continue to encounter significant barriers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women in 2023 earned 84 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gap that has remained largely stagnant for years. Furthermore, women, particularly women of color, remain underrepresented in executive leadership positions and on corporate boards. This persistent reality challenged the efficacy of individualistic solutions to systemic problems. The "girlboss" ideal, for many, became synonymous with an exhausting demand to "do it all"—to be a high-achieving professional, a perfect mother, and a supportive partner, often without adequate societal support systems.
The Tradwife Resurgence: A Modern Twist on Traditionalism
In stark contrast, the "tradwife" (traditional wife) movement appears, on the surface, to be a rejection of the "girlboss" ethos. Trending since at least 2019, particularly on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the #tradlife movement promotes a version of femininity that emphasizes devotion to home, husband, and children. Tradwife influencers often showcase idyllic scenes of domesticity: perfectly coiffed women in aprons, meticulously clean kitchens, and scratch-made meals, all set against a backdrop of serene family life. The underlying narrative often involves a strong husband providing financial support, allowing the wife to dedicate herself entirely to homemaking and childcare.
However, a deeper analysis reveals that this "traditional" way of being in the world is, paradoxically, unmistakably modern and deeply intertwined with the very entrepreneurial spirit that underpins the "girlboss" mentality. It is not enough for a modern tradwife to simply manage her home; she must be entrepreneurial about it. She blogs, vlogs, creates social media content, and builds an online brand around her domestic life. This requires significant digital savvy, self-promotion, and an understanding of market dynamics—skills that are quintessential to the "girlboss" archetype. The tradwife, in this sense, is an influencer, monetizing her domesticity and selling an aspirational lifestyle.
The rise of the tradwife movement can be seen, in part, as a reaction to the burnout experienced by women attempting to "lean in" while simultaneously shouldering the majority of domestic and childcare responsibilities. Many tradwives articulate a conscious "opting out" of the demanding and often unrewarding corporate labor market, proudly declaring that they have chosen a path that prioritizes family and personal well-being over career advancement. This choice, they argue, liberates them from the constant stress and vulnerability of a labor market that often undervalues women’s contributions. Interestingly, this disillusionment is not exclusive to any single demographic; there are even Black tradwife influencers who articulate similar narratives of burnout and a desire to prioritize family over a corporate world that often presents unique challenges for women of color. By "opting out," they also implicitly or explicitly support the "dying ideology of the father as breadwinner," seeking to re-establish a more traditional gender division of labor.
The Hidden Link: Entrepreneurship and Individual Choice
The seemingly contradictory nature of the girlboss and tradwife archetypes begins to dissolve when viewed through the lens of individual choice and entrepreneurship. Both frameworks, despite their divergent outcomes, place a heavy emphasis on the individual woman’s agency and decisions. The girlboss chooses to climb the corporate ladder, while the tradwife chooses to embrace domesticity. Crucially, both are expected to be entrepreneurial about their chosen paths. The girlboss builds her career, brand, and network; the tradwife builds her online presence, content, and following. This shared emphasis on individual effort, strategic planning, and self-promotion highlights a pervasive cultural narrative that suggests systemic problems can be overcome through personal grit and ingenuity.
This perspective is deeply embedded in the "myth of mutuality," where societal inequalities are often attributed to individual shortcomings or choices rather than structural failings. In the context of American families, this myth often obscures the true, uneven gender division of labor, where women still perform a disproportionate share of unpaid domestic and care work, even when employed full-time. The individualistic focus of both girlboss and tradwife ideologies, therefore, inadvertently reinforces the notion that women’s primary responsibility is to navigate and solve their own challenges within existing societal frameworks, rather than collectively advocating for systemic change.
Political Manifestations and Public Perception
The strategic deployment of these dual personas by conservative women in politics is particularly effective because it allows them to appeal to a broad spectrum of voters. By presenting themselves as both powerful leaders (girlboss) and devoted homemakers (tradwife), they can connect with traditionalists who value family, as well as with those who admire ambition and success. This dual appeal can be seen as a sophisticated political maneuver, enabling conservative women to bridge ideological divides and broaden their base.
However, this approach also carries implications for the broader discourse on women’s empowerment. For decades, the United States has projected an image of "empowered" women globally, contrasting itself with countries perceived as having more patriarchal cultures. This "soft power" narrative often highlights American women’s freedom to pursue high-powered careers, fly planes, and engage in international advocacy. Yet, as the authors of The Gender Order of Neoliberalism argue, this focus on individual achievement and "doing it all" has largely eclipsed earlier visions of women’s empowerment that prioritized collective action and systemic change.
Economic Undercurrents and Societal Pressures
The rise of both the girlboss and tradwife movements is also inextricably linked to pressing economic realities and societal pressures. The increasing cost of living, stagnant wages, and the prohibitive expense of childcare in the U.S. exert immense pressure on families. The average annual cost of infant care in the U.S. is over $11,000, and in many states, it exceeds college tuition. This financial burden often forces difficult decisions, with one parent, frequently the mother, opting out of the workforce.
For some, the "tradwife" path offers a perceived escape from the relentless grind of the modern economy, promising a return to simpler, more fulfilling roles. For others, the "girlboss" path is a necessity for financial stability and upward mobility. Both, however, operate within a system that largely fails to provide adequate structural support for families. Without universal childcare, robust paid family leave, and equitable pay, women are continually forced to make highly individualized, often suboptimal, choices that impact their economic security and personal well-being. This economic backdrop further illuminates why both the "lean in" strategy and the "opt-out" strategy resonate with different groups of women facing common systemic challenges.
Broader Implications for Feminist Discourse
The convergence of girlboss and tradwife ideals within conservative womanhood presents a critical challenge to contemporary feminist discourse. It underscores an "impoverished feminist imagination" that limits the scope of what women’s empowerment can truly mean. The original article highlights that transnational feminist organizing in the 1950s and 60s advocated for a comprehensive vision of empowerment, encompassing reproductive justice, fair pay, universal childcare, universal healthcare, and fair trade. These were collective demands for structural changes that would enable all women to thrive, irrespective of individual choices about work or family.
Today, these expansive visions have largely receded from public consciousness, replaced by narratives that emphasize individual adaptability within existing, often inequitable, systems. The dominant conversation often oscillates between celebrating individual professional success (girlboss) and romanticizing individual domestic retreat (tradwife). This narrow framing inadvertently reinforces the notion that women must continue to function as "America’s social safety net," absorbing the failures of inadequate social policies through their personal sacrifices and strategic choices.
Beyond Individual Choice: A Call for Systemic Change
The enduring visibility of conservative women embodying both the girlboss and tradwife archetypes serves as a potent reminder of the complex and often contradictory pressures placed upon modern women. While individual choices are undoubtedly important, a truly empowering vision for women necessitates moving beyond the limited binary offered by these two archetypes.
Instead, a more robust and inclusive feminist imagination would revisit and champion the systemic changes advocated by earlier movements:
- Universal Childcare: Ensuring affordable, high-quality childcare for all families.
- Universal Healthcare: Guaranteeing access to comprehensive healthcare, including reproductive services.
- Fair Pay and Labor Protections: Actively closing the gender pay gap and ensuring equitable working conditions.
- Paid Family Leave: Implementing comprehensive paid leave policies that support both parents.
- Community Support Systems: Fostering initiatives like community kitchens and childcare collectives that distribute the burden of care and domestic labor beyond the individual household.
These collective solutions, rather than individualistic adaptations, offer a path toward a joyful and truly equitable life for all women. By focusing on structural reforms that address the root causes of inequality, society can move beyond merely observing women straddling a "skinny divide" between two limited options and instead create a world where all women have the freedom and support to pursue their full potential, however they define it. The challenge lies in reigniting a political imagination that can envision and champion these broader, more transformative forms of empowerment, complete with compelling visuals and narratives that resonate as powerfully as the curated domesticity of the tradwife or the corporate triumph of the girlboss.
Smitha Radhakrishnan is Marion Butler McLean Professor in the History of Ideas and Professor of Sociology at Wellesley College. She is author of Making Women Pay: Microfinance in Urban India. Cinzia D. Solari is Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Massachusetts Boston. She is author of On the Shoulders of Grandmothers: Gender, Migration, and Post-Soviet Nation-Building. Together, they are authors of The Gender Order of Neoliberalism.
