Time Magazine Claims Tradwives Are "Suffering," But Actual Women Say Otherwise
Time Magazine recently published an article titled, "The False Escapism of Soft Girls and Tradwives." In it, a psychologist named Vanessa Scaringi examines the cultural transition among American women from "Girlboss" fanaticism to the current "soft girl" era. Scaringi concludes that women taking a more traditional approach to their relationships causes "hard consequences" on mental health and society, but her claim received extreme backlash from hundreds of women who strongly disagreed.
The response to Time's article on Instagram was overwhelmingly critical of its claims. With almost 700 comments, the majority of readers disagreed with the narrative that the magazine was pushing. Contrary to the article's implications, many commentators highlighted the empowerment they find in embracing traditional femininity and homemaking roles. They argued that Time was promoting a narrative that not only fails to reflect the complexity of women's lives and choices but also inadvertently shames women for desiring a "soft" and traditional lifestyle.
"Thank God for the comments. The girlies came in strong when the headline wanted to shame me," wrote one commenter. "God forbid a woman wants to spend more time with her family than slaving away for someone who couldn’t care less what happens to her," wrote another.
Corporate Media Refuses To Listen to Women
Time isn't the first media outlet to suggest that the resurgence of traditional femininity and homemaking roles is detrimental to women's mental health and societal progress. Others like Bustle and Vice have published similar articles claiming that a return to femininity is a regression to so-called subservience. However, if legacy media stopped and considered the growing consensus among women over their preferred political narratives, they would find that a more feminine and less "feminist" approach to life actually leads to better outcomes for society at large. This sentiment is underscored by the overwhelming number of comments from women defending their choice to prioritize family and personal satisfaction over the demands of a high-pressure career.
"The numbers don’t lie," wrote Evie Solheim in her article, The Death of the Girlboss. "Gen Z women don’t see themselves as corporate girlbosses. So many women were interested in the topic of “lazy girl jobs” that it was trending on TikTok earlier this year. (For the uninitiated, a lazy girl job is a remote, salaried position that’s so easy you can do your work in a few hours each day.)"
It's clear from the response to Time's article and the documented trends among Gen Z that young women are increasingly disinterested in focusing primarily on their careers. Rather than lamenting this as a bad, regressive shift, it's worth examining what these women are truly seeking in their pursuit of happiness.
Feminism and Women's Happiness
This debate touches on broader discussions about the impact of feminism on women's happiness. Surveys and studies suggest a nuanced picture: while feminism has brought significant advancements, there is also evidence to suggest that growing numbers of women feel their lives have not "improved" as a result. A Yale Law School paper highlighted a significant decline in women's subjective well-being since the 1970s, despite gains in education, workforce participation, and pay. The debate around "soft girls" and "tradwives" is indicative of an important cultural shift towards valuing personal choice, family, and home life as legitimate and fulfilling options, and the data suggest this is a move in the right direction when it comes to women's mental health.
Time's focus on the supposed mental health risks associated with adopting a tradwife or soft girl lifestyle is based on a narrow interpretation of what these choices mean for women. It fails to acknowledge the diversity of reasons women may be drawn to these roles, including a rejection of the relentless hustle culture and a desire for a more balanced and meaningful life, with loving relationships at the forefront.
Closing Thoughts
The social media backlash to Time's article illustrates a critical point: many women reject the notion that their empowerment must come at the cost of traditional roles and aesthetics. As the data mounts and trends change, it looks like positive"progress" for women might mean embracing traditional femininity rather than rejecting it.
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