Ballerina Farm founder Hannah Neeleman made headlines last week after a corporate media feature piece that was supposed to document her charming life as the matriarch of a growing Mormon family and co-manager of a sprawling Utah farm implied that she is an oppressed housewife.
The Sunday Times Magazine article in question recently dubbed the social media influencer and mother of eight, “the queen of the ‘trad wives,’” which sparked a massive online debate. The big story, however, was not whether Hannah is the perfect image for the trending housewife movement, but the vitriol corporate media have for women who choose to reject the lies sold by modern-day feminism.
Empowerment Or Oppression?
Questions about how the Neelemans’ millions of social media followers can reconcile the family’s five-figure cast iron stove with their homegrown, homestead image online are certainly worth exploring. The U.S.-based senior features writer who ventured out to the Neelemans’ 328-acre property to pen a puff piece, however, was far more interested in telling a different story.
Instead of concentrating her criticism on the stark contrast between the Neelemans’ wealthy Jet Blue background and seemingly down-to-earth-looking lifestyle, author Megan Agnew took aim at their marriage, family size and decision to center their lives around home and children.
“Is this an empowering new model of womanhood — or a hammer blow for feminism?” the article subhead asks.
Shortly into the article, Agnew queried whether the 2023 Mrs. American’s affinity for pageantry is “the ultimate act of empowerment, Neeleman
