"Tradwives" were the hot online topic in 2024 — but offline, women are more independent than ever

Amanda Marcotte : TikTok is banning the site's minitrend of women "pranking" their husbands by saying, "I can't pay the mortgage this month " Marcotte says the "tradwives" meme is just the latest in a series of social media trends that romanticize female submission to men.

She says in the real world, women are embracing financial independence, delaying motherhood, choosing single life over unsatisfactory relationships.

A lot of this content taps into people's emotions to sell them on dangerous right-wing ideas.

It's unlikely that women will encounter tradwife content and decide to quit their jobs to be submissive housewives.

But it's unfortunately quite likely some will see false information demonizing birth control and skip taking the pill, leading to unwanted pregnancy.