In Trump's America, women ditch feminism for 'tradwife' lifestyle

Online influencers offer guides on how to walk, talk and act more femininely

- Marina Lopes

WASHINGTON - Ms Cynthia Moreno stood in front of the mirror, eyeing herself from head to toe. Over the past few years, the 50-year-old brand manager from Florida has completely reinvented herself from feminist to full-on feminine.

She ditched her black flats for pink platform heels, traded jeans for full skirts, and a bare face for YouTube-inspired make-up.

Growing up with a single, independent mother, Ms Moreno had few feminine influences. But after divorcing a man who she said forced her to take on household decisions and pay the bills, she was ready for a change.

"I was tired of being the man in the relationship."

So she went online. Make-up tutorials led to videos on how to walk, talk and act more femininely. To get used to wearing heels, she practiced in the kitchen while cooking for her new boyfriend. She read aloud to herself to cultivate a softer, sweeter voice.

Ms Moreno logged five to six hours a day following "tradwife" influencers (short for traditional wives), who promote a return to gender roles centered on homemaking and supporting their husbands.

Soon, conservatism seeped into her politics. "As my inner femininity started coming out, my political ideas changed a bit because I started to understand a little bit more of the right's perspective," she said.

At a time when abortion access is being restricted in several states and questions about women's roles dominate the political conversation, women like Ms Moreno are trading their liberal politics for pearls.

NEO-TRADITIONAL COMFORT

The rise of the tradwife began, fittingly, at home. During the Covid-19 pandemic, as schools closed and work blurred into childcare, some women began questioning whether careers and motherhood could coexist.

According to a 2020 McKinsey study, one in three working mothers considered downshifting or leaving their jobs altogether.