“Lean In”’s Sheryl Sandberg Says Popularity of Tradwives Could Be ‘Very Detrimental to Women,’ Even If by Accident (Exclusive)

**Sheryl Sandberg Critiques ‘Tradwife’ Trend, Advocating for Women’s Choice**

Sheryl Sandberg, former CEO of Meta and author of the influential book *Lean In*, has voiced her concerns regarding the rising popularity of the ‘tradwife’ movement. This term, short for traditional wives, promotes a lifestyle centred around homemaking, motherhood, and domestic chores. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Sandberg expressed apprehension that this trend may perpetuate outdated stereotypes about women’s roles in society.

Sandberg has long championed women’s empowerment, particularly in the context of workplace equality. In her discussion about ‘tradwives’, she reflects on the implications of promoting an ideal that suggests women must choose between being full-time homemakers or active participants in the workforce. “The message that is going out is that in order to be a good wife or a good mother, you need to do it full time,” she remarked. Such narratives, according to Sandberg, fail to recognise the realities faced by the vast majority of women who need to work outside the home to support their families.

The trend has gained traction through various influencers, such as Alexia Delarosa and Estee Williams. These figures have cultivated large audiences online, though discussions often teeter on the edge of controversy. Sandberg’s critique is aimed at the potentially harmful messages being disseminated through these platforms, implying that they may limit women’s ambitions and reinforce traditional gender roles.

Sandberg argues that the promotion of the ‘tradwife’ lifestyle could be detrimental, stating, “If you look at the percentages of women who need to work outside of the home to support their families, it’s the great majority of women.” She believes that messages advocating for a full-time dedication to homemaking can foster feelings of guilt in women who choose different paths. “Let’s be clear: You are not harming your marriage and you are not harming your children by working and being ambitious,” she added.

However, Sandberg does recognise that the decision to embrace a ‘tradwife’ lifestyle is indeed a personal one, dependent on individual circumstances. “If you have the resources and you want to be a tradwife, that’s great,” she acknowledges. She emphasises the importance of women having the autonomy to make choices that best suit their lives, whilst also warning against endorsing outdated notions of femininity.

The ex-Meta exec advocates for a broader dialogue that supports all lifestyle choices, rather than emphasising a singular narrative around motherhood and domesticity. “We need to be realistic and we need to not use new ideas to reinforce old, outdated, and very sexist notions of what roles are,” she commented. Sandberg insists that true empowerment lies in allowing women to choose their own paths without the weight of societal judgement.

In addition to her advocacy regarding the ‘tradwife’ trend, Sandberg is actively working to combat child marriage, an issue she identifies as crucial to human rights. Recently, she funded a report from Columbia University’s Institute of Global Politics Women’s Initiative, detailing the extensive toll that child marriage takes on families and economies globally. The report indicates that child marriage claims between 100,000 to 190,000 lives of children under five each year, alongside 14,000 maternal deaths, and costs the global economy an estimated $175 billion annually.

Despite these staggering figures, progress against child marriage is being made. The report also highlights a decline in the prevalence of child marriages, with the number of women married before the age of 18 decreasing from one in four in 1997 to nearly one in five by 2022. This improvement is attributed to factors such as increased access to education for girls and more stringent legal practices.

As global conversations shift towards the complexities of women’s roles in society, Sandberg remains a prominent voice advocating for clearer pathways towards empowerment. She recognises that, in a time of growing polarisation, some issues can unify efforts across borders. In her view, “Child marriage should not be allowed to happen anywhere in the world.”

In conclusion, Sheryl Sandberg’s critique of the ‘tradwife’ movement serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for women’s rights and the importance of supporting diverse lifestyles. She champions the need for all women to pursue their ambitions, irrespective of prevailing societal expectations.