We’ve all seen the “tradwife” content that’s been on the rise. Women filming themselves, well-groomed, in lovely kitchens, making their husbands and children cereal and more from scratch in the name of being a “traditional wife.” These videos are everywhere on TikTok and Instagram, enticing scrollers with the nostalgia of a simpler time—it wasn’t really simple, just affordable, but I digress. The big hook of these videos (and the women who produce them) is their supposed “wholesomeness” and the claim that this is how God intended women to be. Except, oopsie daisies! These tradwife content creators have found their way onto PornHub and OnlyFans. That’s right: For the low, low cost of your monthly Wi-Fi bill and an OF subscription, you too can enjoy the fantasy of a 1950s housewife. Demand for “tradwife” content on porn sites has skyrocketed this year, raising the question: Are men really chasing nostalgia, or is there merit to the idea that they want a sexualized mommy figure instead of an equal partner?
If you read that and thought, “What the heck is a tradwife?”—congratulations! You’re not chronically online, and that’s worthy of a momentary celebration. To fill you in, a tradwife is exactly what it sounds like: An apron-clad, demure homemaker who dedicates her entire life to her husband’s happiness. Think June Cleaver, but with a bow in her hair and an obsessive commitment to her sourdough starter. Tradwife content has been booming online this year, with a 72% global increase in searches for “tradwife” and related trends like “modesty.”
Herein lies the irony: Many modern tradwives are far from modest. They’re not only tending to the chickens in their backyard but also participating in the creator economy by monetizing their aesthetic on OnlyFans. Sure, aprons are modest—until that’s all you’re wearing.
As with all things OnlyFans—and yes, tradwife content is trending on PornHub too—the creators are catering to a high demand for titillating material involving women who appear eager to cater to their husband’s every whim. But what does this global obsession with tradwife content really say about the cultural moment we’re in right now?
Look, I get it. We’re all overwhelmed and we’re getting conflicting messages about masculinity, femininity, who pays for dates, should couples be 50/50, and other questions that didn’t cause your grandparents’ generation any fuss. The fantasy makes sense: You have your role, I have mine. And if you’re the husband in the scenario, you’ve got it made. Every day after work, you get a hero’s welcome at the door from your hot wife, who is only concerned with keeping you fed and fucked. She doesn’t complain about her boss or expect more from you than the food you’re putting on the table or the roof over her perfectly coiffed head. Who wouldn’t love the idea of a mommy figure who gives endlessly, nurtures constantly, and always prioritizes your needs over her own?
Obviously, this is a fantasy. Most American families aren’t happy and thriving on a single income, and the real stay-at-home moms are rockin’ the messy bun and Old Navy yoga pants instead of A-line dresses and perfectly set curls.
Tradwife creators on social media as well as OnlyFans have fully embraced the irony, presenting as “mindful and demure” housewives while being savvy entrepreneurs. The labor involved in being a tradwife influencer and a successful OnlyFans model is essentially the same: Cleaning, cooking, video and photo production, marketing—the works. OnlyFans just pays better, and the illusion of “just recording my day to day” gives tradwife creators an invisible revenue stream that doesn’t challenge her husband’s role as the provider. Content creation is a lot like homemaking, in the sense that most people don’t think of it as work.
Being a tradwife isn’t as simple as it looks, especially if you’re also using your lifestyle to run a spicy side hustle. At least the spicy side hustle pays you back for all that time spent canning raspberry preserves, unlike a bad sitcom husband who sits on his duff and never says “thank you.” Maybe the real allure of being a tradwife is the idea that anyone could work that hard and still finish the day with clean hair and a smile on their face.
