Addressing the “trad wife cosplay” allegations
I’m tired of seeing this claim. [Voice Notes + Stories]
“I support traditional roles, but some of these women are just cosplaying.”
I’ve received and seen some version of this comment online so frequently lately, and not one single time has anyone ever given me a concrete example of what this looks like.
It honestly frustrates me to no end, because I think the people making the comment don’t consider that it’s kind of difficult to pretend to be a tradwife.
I know where it comes from, I believe — there are women out there who love to dress up as though they’re auditioning for background characters in The Stepford Wives.
Most would assume this is an insult on my part, but it’s not. I actually love this look, and had I the energy and the hair styling talents, I might try my hand at the June Cleaver look, too.
The reason this look is so triggering, however, is because of deeply-embedded feminist narratives.
I fully agree that being a trad wife is not about how we look, not by a long shot. There’s nothing wrong with wearing jeans or leggings while you take care of your home.
The thing is, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with looking like June Cleaver, either.
And the claim that women who look a certain way while trad-wifing are “cosplaying” or “LARPing” (which stands for “live action role playing,” I had to google it) is a really extreme one, too.
In this week’s Voice Notes podcast, we dive into why it’s so problematic to accuse trad wives of “cosplaying.” Scroll down to listen and be sure to let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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