Accounts are going wildly viral on Instagram and Tik Tok for what is called 'trad wife' content. Trad is short for 'traditional' and it is a push back by women of a younger generation against the notion women have to work corporate jobs to be successful. The accounts generally show very attractive women taking care of their homes, cooking and caring for small children. One of the most successful is an account called 'Ballerina Farms'. I was introduced to 'Ballerina Farms' by my Mom. My Mom is in her 70's but loves watching her content for the farm animals and the recipes. 'Ballerina Farms' also sells products like starter kits for sourdough. Any time a woman finds success, there is also going to be a whole bunch of criticism launched at her as well. It's inevitable.
That ballerina farms chick could be making the girlboss grind look similarly glamorous and no one would bat an eye even though it would be similarly unattainable for most. People are mad she’s making having 8 kids look glamorous instead.
— Inez Stepman ⚪️🔴⚪️ (@InezFeltscher) February 25, 2024
Correct. People don't like women looking up to another woman who has a bunch of kids and loves her husband.
I keep seeing this take and I just don't understand it. I have an Instagram account, but I don't use it so I'm not very tuned into discussions there. But of course I'm aware of Ballerina Farms and I just don't understand the ressentiment here. 1/ https://t.co/kglFvc2Gpd
— Meagan Kohler (@TresClare) February 23, 2024
I don't make my own popsicles. Afaik, this takes time, not trust funds. Not everyone wants to spend their time on that and that's fine. But women posting their homemade bread on social media seems like such a weird thing to turn into a victim narrative. 3/
— Meagan Kohler (@TresClare) February 23, 2024
She is effortlessly beautiful and that likely contributes to her following in ways that make us jealous. If I were an effortlessly beautiful woman with 8 kids, seducing people into cooking for their families and arranging flowers seems like a pretty not-evil way to go. 5/
— Meagan Kohler (@TresClare) February 23, 2024
It seems there are way more problematic women on the internet, honestly.
To the guys dragging Tom Ascol and Allie Beth Stuckey, I think you may not understand what we’re talking about here. I’d like you to watch a video.
— Megan Basham (@megbasham) February 23, 2024
Now this woman has one of the most popular trad wife accounts on Instagram. Almost 9 million followers. She is willowy and lovely.… pic.twitter.com/AT5wTOqVh6
Obviously, these are beautiful pictures, but they are clearly curated pictures she used for content like magazines or item descriptions for catalogs. They are meant to be appealing to the eye. If you watch her regular every day content, it's full of dirty kitchens, messy kids, and basic farm living.
I actually agree with everything Megan says
— ariel gonzalez bovat (@arielbovat) February 23, 2024
I also know women who lived like this, minus the pageant stuff
Turning good things into idols that other women covet is something women do best https://t.co/ID5wqx4iKN
If a viewer looks at another woman's life and 'covets' it, that is on the viewer and not on the woman showing her life.
Aspirational influencers like this are good, and if you can't reconcile what is possible in your own life with what an influencer like this portrays, that's on you. https://t.co/o2xgv5ym2G
— Virgil Davis Hunt (@vrgldh) February 23, 2024
As a woman who is almost 50, my 'aspirational' homemaker was Martha Stewart. I loved watching her shows and learning how to decorate or arrange flowers. Did I ever believe I would be as talented at baking as Martha? Of course not. It was 'aspirational' content. I used it to make me a little better than I was before. It's a similar situation for today's young wife watching people like 'Ballerina Farms'. Most of them will never have their own working farms. Perhaps, however, she might inspire several young families to go in together to split a cow from their local farm and eat less mass produced meat. Maybe, she will encourage women to begin baking sourdough bread rather than always purchasing highly processed bread loaves. As more and more neighborhoods are allowing residents to have a few chickens, she might encourage a family to get six chickens and take care of their own egg needs from their back yard.
I had to get off IG for these very accounts—as much as I enjoyed them!
— Regan Carter (@Regan_Carter) February 23, 2024
My life has been blissful since stepping back. Perfect? Heck no. But I no longer compare my life & accomplishments to strangers on the internet. My husband & friends are my encouragers and it’s life giving. https://t.co/JEFxrf1thF
Also, this is a great decision if a woman finds herself 'envying' others and not using these accounts for inspiration or education. Just because these accounts don't serve one person well, doesn't mean they don't have tons of value for some young women. Instead of criticizing women, make your own decisions about curating your social media feed to best suit your lifestyle. If you find yourself envious, that is a sign to do some 'inside' work and figure out what you need to change. Blaming 'Ballerina Farms' for your discontent is the ultimate example of shirking personal responsibility.
