Former tradwife influencers say they are leaving the movement
A growing group of former tradwife influencers say they now warn other women about the lifestyle they once promoted.
Key points
- Bernadine Bluntly renounced the tradwife movement in an April video, saying she no longer backs extreme gender roles.
- Several ex-tradwife influencers describe abuse, financial dependence and church pressure during their marriages.
- Jennie Gage and Tia Levings now warn women about financial risks and control within traditional marriages.
- Some established tradwife figures have also appeared to distance themselves from the label, according to The Guardian.
Former tradwife influencers are speaking out against the lifestyle they once promoted. According to The Guardian, a growing number of women who built online followings around traditional gender roles now say they regret the message they spread. Their accounts describe control, financial risk and abuse inside marriages.
One of the most high-profile cases is Bernadine Bluntly, whose real surname is Barber. In April she posted a clip in which she reflected on her earlier views. She said she remains a Christian and still sees differences between men and women. However, she no longer supports rigid gender roles, particularly when they are wrapped in religious language to justify control or harm. She also apologised if her earlier content had contributed to the harm she now sees.
Bluntly had previously sold T-shirts reading “RIP Feminism” and backed Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the supreme court. She also ran a course designed to help young women attract husbands. Last year she left her husband, and her divorce was finalised this year. She obtained a restraining order against her ex-husband, whom she said was abusive. He denies this claim.
Other former influencers speak out
Jennie Gage, aged 52, is widely viewed as an early figure among ex-tradwife influencers. She was brought up in a strict Mormon household in Arizona, and at 12 she entered a church programme that taught girls domestic tasks. Gage’s 24-year marriage looked ideal to outsiders. Privately, she states the relationship was abusive, and she was barred from employment and from holding her own bank account.
Gage told The Guardian that many trad women face serious financial hardship when they leave a husband who controls the household budget. After her divorce, she says she had nothing and relied on a GoFundMe campaign and loans from friends and family. She now advises young women to protect their finances, for example through a prenuptial agreement and a spousal trust.
Tia Levings, 52, is another former influencer who now writes books and posts online about her experience. She married at 19 and says she was part of several extreme fundamentalist Christian groups. She describes years of abuse that grew more violent over time. She says she left after her husband suddenly went out in the night, and she now has custody of their four children.
Established figures distance themselves
The shift is not limited to people who have left the movement. Nara Smith, a model and influencer with large TikTok and Instagram followings, said last month, in comments to The Guardian, that her posts carry no concealed tradwife objective. Hannah Neeleman, who posts as Ballerina Farm, also appeared to step back from the label in a recent interview with New York magazine. She said she would take feedback if her content was seen to harm women.
Why the story matters
The accounts raise questions about how online content shapes views of marriage, religion and women’s independence. Former influencers say they want to warn others about the risks they faced. Their testimony suggests that the movement’s public image and the realities behind it can differ sharply.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tradwife movement?
The tradwife movement promotes traditional gender roles, with women focused on home and family. According to The Guardian, its supporters often combine these views with conservative Christian values and anti-feminist ideas.
Why are former tradwife influencers leaving?
Several former influencers say they came to see control, abuse and financial dependence within these marriages. Bernadine Bluntly said she no longer believes in extreme gender roles, as reported by The Guardian.
Who is Jennie Gage?
Jennie Gage, 52, is a former tradwife influencer from Arizona who was raised in a Mormon family. She says she was in an abusive marriage and now warns women about financial safety.
Sources
- The Guardian: Why tradwives are fleeing the movement: ‘I can’t undo my past – but I can warn other women’
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
