Scrutiny of the figure of the “trad wife” has hit a fever pitch. These influencers’ accounts feature kempt, feminine women embracing hyper-traditional roles in marriage and home-making—and, in doing so, garnering millions of followers. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz discuss standout practitioners of ... Show More
Sep 20
Introducing: “The Journey,” from In the Dark
“The Journey,” a five-part audio investigation by Ava Kofman, unravels the mystery of how Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang, a wealthy Los Angeles couple, obtained dozens of children through nearly as many surrogates—and exposes a scandal that threatens to undermine the entire surroga ... Show More
56m 57s
Sep 17
That Back-to-School Feeling
As the school year resumes, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz consider the work—and pleasure—of teaching and learning, reflect on their own experiences in the classroom, and counsel listeners on scholastic concerns. One teacher calls in asking for texts she cou ... Show More
46m 58s
Apr 2024
The ‘trad wives’ glamorizing life at home
For some time now, there’s been a growing trend on TikTok and Instagram of young women sharing about their daily lives as “trad wives.” “Traditional wives” forego the workplace, extol the virtues of homemaking, and often talk about the ways they “submit” to their husbands.
So why ... Show More
24m 42s
Aug 2024
The Trad Wife Paradox with Anne Helen Petersen
<p>Trevor, Christiana, and noted writer and journalist Anne Helen Petersen discuss the growing #tradwife trend, the ideological conviction that a woman’s sole and highest purpose is to be her spouse’s modest, subservient helpmate, and that anything less is ungodly. Why do more wo ... Show More
56m 48s
Jan 2024
What's Missing from the Online Discourse on Trad Wives?
The Traditional Wife, or 'Trad Wife', is getting a lot of traction online lately. Bridget Todd breaks down what a Trad Wife is, what they represent, why they may be having a bit of a moment on social media and how it may reflect the not so great situation women are in right now.S ... Show More
45m 13s
Feb 2024
Getting to the -core of It *TEASER*
The girlies dive deep into the micro-trends that have been populating the internet over the last few years. From cottage-core to ballet-core, clean girl to mob wife, they rank microaesthetics based on the level of abject harm they cause to women, the pedophilic undertones, and wh ... Show More
4m 57s