Document Type
Other
Publication Date
2026
Abstract
In a media landscape saturated with curated images of domesticity, the emergence of the “tradwife” aesthetic demands critical scrutiny as a site where gender, consumption, and ideology converge. Hannah Neeleman, better known to her followers as Ballerina Farm, has become a central figure in this phenomenon, leveraging Instagram and TikTok to craft an idealized vision of rural homemaking, motherhood, and faith. A former Juilliard-trained ballerina and beauty pageant winner, Neeleman now manages a multimillion-dollar farm brand that combines self-reliance with aspirational aesthetics. Her image gained even wider visibility and scrutiny after The Times published an in-depth profile that sparked debate over privilege, gender expectations, and the commercialization of domesticity (Troncoso, 2025). Through highly stylized depictions of family life, she positions domestic labor as both a personal virtue and a cultural statement, shaping perceptions of contemporary femininity for a large and participatory audience.
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Rights
Copyright © 2026 Emma Arneson
Recommended Citation
Areson, Emma, "Homemaking in Hashtags: A Rhetorical Study of Hannah Neeleman’s #Tradwife Narrative Across Social Media" (2026). Schultz-Werth Award Papers. 79.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/schultz-werth/79