{"id":1846435,"date":"2026-03-25T15:49:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T12:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1846435"},"modified":"2026-03-25T15:49:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T12:49:00","slug":"women-please-stop-acting-like-babies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1846435","title":{"rendered":"Women: Please, stop acting like babies"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/214-0-1536-1024\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442395.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"main-article standard \">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/life-culture\/article\/69979\/1\/women-please-stop-acting-like-babies-tiktok-infantilisation-trend\" data-article-id=\"69979\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-landscape-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.95\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"cinderella-2000x1024\" class=\"img\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1400\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442395.jpg\" width=\"2000\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">Cinderella<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-03-25T15:49:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"25 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"25\">25,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - life-culture\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/opinion\">Opinion<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/opinion\">Opinion<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>Women: Please, stop acting <span class=\"nowrap\">like babies<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>A new wave of TikTok content is glamourising financial dependence on men \u2013 and it\u2019s setting feminism <span class=\"nowrap\">back decades<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-03-25T15:49:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"25 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"25\">25,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-03-25T15:49:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"25 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"25\">25,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/SerenaSmith\">Serena Smith<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Hypergamy \u2013 the practice of seeking a \u2018provider\u2019 partner with more wealth and status than you \u2013 has been a hot topic for years now. Controversial dating coach Shera Seven, known as the \u201csprinkle sprinkle lady\u201d, has been telling women to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@therealsheraseven\/video\/7370843173762993451?lang=en\"><span>laugh if a date suggests splitting the bill<\/span><\/a><span> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@therealsheraseven\/video\/7369665937588407594?lang=en\"><span>cheat on \u201cbroke\u201d men<\/span><\/a><span> since 2023. Tradwives like Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman, who represent the idea that women should take care of domestic labour while men bring home the bacon, began blowing up on TikTok in the early 2020s. You\u2019d think that the myth that it\u2019s a smart idea to rely on a man for money would have run out of steam by now, but, like a stubborn weed, it\u2019s unfortunately persistent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Social media is still awash with content which markets dependence and self-infantilisation as aspirational. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@emmamaeedavis\/video\/7599085831495634231?q=pink%20store%20bleu%20store&amp;t=1774357912503\"><span>A new TikTok trend<\/span><\/a><span> sees women joke about being \u201cgood at the blue store\u201d (read: hardware stores or electronic stores) so their boyfriends will buy them something at \u201cthe pink store\u201d (read: beauty stores). Stay-at-home-girlfriends on the app gloat about doing nothing but rotting in bed and going to the gym while their partners are at their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@cassidychournos\/video\/7382472279952772398?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7513943437604816407\"><span>\u201cbig boy jobs\u201d<\/span><\/a><span>. Most recently, influencer <\/span><span>Sarah De Leeuw recently went <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/babooshke\/status\/2035952093324828905\/photo\/2\"><span>viral on X after posting<\/span><\/a><span> about her boyfriend putting his credit card in a handmade magic wand and taking her on a \u201cshopping spree\u201d \u2013 while she wore a tiara \u2013 to celebrate her <\/span>26th<span> birthday.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content has-tweet\" data-embed-type=\"media-twitter\" data-script-depends=\"twitter-widgets\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Guys my boyfriend put his credit card in a magic wand and took me on a shopping spree for my birthday \ud83d\ude2d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IKwpSxT8db\">pic.twitter.com\/IKwpSxT8db<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; sarah\u02da \u0f18\u2661 \u22c6\uff61\u02da \u2740 (@babooshke) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/babooshke\/status\/2035952093324828905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>In an era where ragebaiting viewers is a surefire way to drive engagement and subsequently earn money, it\u2019s increasingly difficult to parse how much of this kind of content is serious, and how much is posted specifically to court controversy<\/span><span>. Relatedly, many of these female creators \u2013 especially tradwife behemoths like Nara Smith \u2013 doubtless have their own (often sizeable) incomes. But no matter the motivations behind it, this content is reaching millions of young women who are engaging with it, and it reflects (and is shaping) a very real cultural shift towards traditional gender roles among young people: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kcl.ac.uk\/news\/almost-a-third-of-gen-z-men-agree-a-wife-should-obey-her-husband\"><span>research published in March<\/span><\/a><span>by Ipsos and the Global Institute for Women\u2019s Leadership at King\u2019s College London found baby boomers have more liberal views than Gen Z on everything from whether a wife should always obey her husband to whether it\u2019s ever OK for a woman to initiate sex.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>We\u2019ve been on this path for a while. Regressive, anti-feminist social media content aside, the fraying social contract has made achieving financial independence difficult if not outright impossible for many women<\/span><span>. Living costs are rising. House prices are astronomical. At the same time, wages are stagnant and the gender pay gap remains stubbornly high. In this context, many young women have realised, correctly, that you can\u2019t \u2018girlboss\u2019 your way to independence and security \u2013 and some have begun to believe that under the current system, it\u2019s better to give up on jobs entirely and focus on securing a male provider.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>Relying on a male partner to fund your life is a slippery slope to abuse and coercion<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>But we don\u2019t need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The last decade has shown that wearing a pink blazer, aspiring to become a \u2018She-EO\u2019, and climbing the corporate ladder \u2013 often trampling on other people in the process \u2013 is not a reliable path to freedom or happiness. It\u2019s a good thing that more women are realising that some of third-wave feminism&#8217;s more neoliberal elements sold them a lie: \u2018<\/span>having<span> it all\u2019 \u2013 that is, enjoying a high-flying, well-paid career <\/span><em><span>and<\/span><\/em><span> a traditional family life \u2013 is, in reality, more like \u2018<\/span><em><span>doing <\/span><\/em><span>it all\u2019, given that women still do a disproportionate amount of housework and childcare. But hoping that your male partner will provide for you indefinitely is not the way out of this bind. <\/span><span>Not least because, for the vast majority of people, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/63260\/1\/tradwives-in-this-economy-nara-smith-women-feminism-income-work\"><span>running a household on one income alone is no longer viable in the long-term<\/span><\/a><span>, but also because it can do troubling things to your relationship dynamic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>No one is saying that it\u2019s \u2018toxic\u2019 for your partner to spoil you on your birthday. No one is even objecting to a set-up where each partner contributes to a household\u2019s living costs in a manner proportional to their own income \u2013 and, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/employmentandlabourmarket\/peopleinwork\/earningsandworkinghours\/bulletins\/genderpaygapintheuk\/2025\"><span>thanks to the gender pay gap,<\/span><\/a><span> it\u2019s likely the man in a straight relationship will end up forking out a bit more than the woman. What <\/span><em><span>is<\/span><\/em><span> dangerous, however, is the notion that women should just give up and lean in to being infantilised dependants who <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@poppycollis1106\/video\/7405945844400229665?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc\"><span>scribble away in colouring books while their partners do \u201cbig boy\u201d work<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7599085831495634231\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Work can be drudgerous, grim, and soul-destroying in innumerable ways, and I can sympathise with the urge to throw in the towel, but individual solutions to systemic issues seldom work. As feminists have warned for a very long time, relying on a male partner to fund your life is a slippery slope to abuse and coercion. Money, under the system in which we live, equals freedom. <\/span><em><span>Real<\/span><\/em><span> money, <\/span><em><span>your own<\/span><\/em><span> money \u2013 not the pittance your boyfriend doles out for you to get a Dior lip oil and the occasional iced vanilla matcha. You need enough money to know that whatever life throws at you, you can insulate yourself against disaster. You can buy your own groceries. You can pay your own rent. You can buy a train ticket out of there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Financial dependence is how many women find themselves trapped in abusive relationships. Women in these situations, for whatever reason, are often unable to secure the kind of stable, well-paid jobs that would grant them the autonomy that money allows. Most would kill for that kind of freedom. This is why it\u2019s so distasteful to see middle-class, able-bodied, educated women <\/span><em><span>willingly<\/span><\/em><span> put themselves in this situation and glamourising it on TikTok. Of course there are\u00a0<\/span><span>issues with neoliberal-leaning feminist arguments which suggest that it\u2019s inherently empowering for women to go out and \u2018hustle\u2019 as hard as men. But while we still live under a system where money reigns supreme, any smart woman will make damn sure they\u2019ve got their own cash stashed in the bank. Ignore this central tenet of feminism at your peril.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"article-footer\">\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"article-series\">\n<h4 class=\"heading\">More on these topics<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-series\"><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\">Life &amp; Culture<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/opinion\">Opinion<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/feminism\">Feminism<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/relationships\">Relationships<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/tiktok\">TikTok<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/social-media\">social media<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<div class=\"grid\">\n<div class=\"lava-lamp\">\n<div class=\"lava-lamp-text-container\">\n<h3 class=\"lava-lamp-subheading\">Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid section-header\">\n<div class=\"section-header__link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69979\/1\/life-culture\"><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"section-header__title\">READ MORE<\/h2>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid tag-article-list\">\n<div class=\"swiper swiper-latest\">\n<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69969\/1\/how-to-get-offline-spend-less-time-on-phone-brick-opal-print-media\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Not Okay (2022)\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-1556-1035\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442367.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">We asked young Americans how they\u2019re getting offline<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69961\/1\/funmaxxing-should-we-all-be-playing-more-alysa-liu-community-games\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"GettyImages-2267046189-2\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-100-2745-1826\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442312.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Funmaxxing: Should we all be playing more?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69956\/1\/5-hidden-easter-eggs-in-the-world-cup-2026-away-kits\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"20260319_AdidasKitCampaign_26 Above_1973_R01_3x4\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-615-2000-1330\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442323.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">7 easter eggs hidden in the World Cup 2026 away kits<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69962\/1\/in-defence-of-chappell-roan-11-year-old-child-jude-law-fan-harassment\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photo by Alena Zakirova\/Getty Images\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/31-66-899-598\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442310.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">In defence of Chappell Roan<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69808\/1\/polly-barton-what-am-i-a-deer-novel-book-interview-2026\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"polly profile picture colour\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/207-594-2562-1704\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/0\/1440047.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">This new novel unpacks the highs and lows of limerence<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69943\/1\/trans-drivers-kansas-1700-licenses-invalidated-us-america-trump\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"One Battle After Another\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/203-0-809-538\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442062.jpeg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">\u2018I\u2019m not giving up my rights\u2019: Why Kansas is coming for trans drivers<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69942\/1\/how-to-cultivate-your-own-taste-books-film-fashion-taste-tiktok-culture\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"1*STjXczVDRHPAcenwWt3zLg\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/317-0-1630-1084\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442030.jpeg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">How to cultivate your own taste<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69923\/1\/meningitis-outbreak-uk-symptoms-vaccination\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photo by Carl Court\/Getty Images\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-1024-681\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441757.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">How to not freak out about meningitis, according to an expert<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69732\/1\/zakia-sewell-finding-albion-myth-folklore-quest-hidden-britain-interview-2026\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Zakia Sewell (Buster Grey Jung)\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-580-2250-1496\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/8\/1438559.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">This new book brings Britain\u2019s folk history out of the shadows<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69882\/1\/month-offline-smartphone-support-group-unplugging-flip-offline-detox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Matrix\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/73-0-818-544\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441382.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Would you try the 30-day flip phone challenge?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69908\/1\/inside-the-manosphere-the-rise-of-conservative-non-monogamy-louis-theroux\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Louis-Theroux-Inside-the-Manosphere-6\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/41-0-1052-700\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441592.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">The Manosphere is rewriting the rules of non-monogamy<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69878\/1\/why-are-straight-men-so-unfunny-tiktok-reels-relationships-dating-women\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"MV5BMzEwMWI1YmMtZWUwNi00MmQyLWFmNjctZmRkMGNhY2Y0YW\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/96-0-1202-800\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/1\/1441286.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Why are so many straight men so unfunny?<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline\" data-newsletter hidden>\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Hypergamy \u2013 the practice of seeking a \u2018provider\u2019 partner with more wealth and status than you \u2013 has been a hot topic for years now. Controversial dating coach Shera Seven, known as the \u201csprinkle sprinkle lady\u201d, has been telling women to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@therealsheraseven\/video\/7370843173762993451?lang=en\"><span>laugh if a date suggests splitting the bill<\/span><\/a><span> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@therealsheraseven\/video\/7369665937588407594?lang=en\"><span>cheat on \u201cbroke\u201d men<\/span><\/a><span> since 2023. Tradwives like Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman, who represent the idea that women should take care of domestic labour while men bring home the bacon, began blowing up on TikTok in the early 2020s. You\u2019d think that the myth that it\u2019s a smart idea to rely on a man for money would have run out of steam by now, but, like a stubborn weed, it\u2019s unfortunately persistent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Social media is still awash with content which markets dependence and self-infantilisation as aspirational. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@emmamaeedavis\/video\/7599085831495634231?q=pink%20store%20bleu%20store&amp;t=1774357912503\"><span>A new TikTok trend<\/span><\/a><span> sees women joke about being \u201cgood at the blue store\u201d (read: hardware stores or electronic stores) so their boyfriends will buy them something at \u201cthe pink store\u201d (read: beauty stores). Stay-at-home-girlfriends on the app gloat about doing nothing but rotting in bed and going to the gym while their partners are at their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@cassidychournos\/video\/7382472279952772398?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7513943437604816407\"><span>\u201cbig boy jobs\u201d<\/span><\/a><span>. Most recently, influencer <\/span><span>Sarah De Leeuw recently went <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/babooshke\/status\/2035952093324828905\/photo\/2\"><span>viral on X after posting<\/span><\/a><span> about her boyfriend putting his credit card in a handmade magic wand and taking her on a \u201cshopping spree\u201d \u2013 while she wore a tiara \u2013 to celebrate her <\/span>26th<span> birthday.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content has-tweet\" data-embed-type=\"media-twitter\" data-script-depends=\"twitter-widgets\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Guys my boyfriend put his credit card in a magic wand and took me on a shopping spree for my birthday \ud83d\ude2d <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IKwpSxT8db\">pic.twitter.com\/IKwpSxT8db<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; sarah\u02da \u0f18\u2661 \u22c6\uff61\u02da \u2740 (@babooshke) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/babooshke\/status\/2035952093324828905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>In an era where ragebaiting viewers is a surefire way to drive engagement and subsequently earn money, it\u2019s increasingly difficult to parse how much of this kind of content is serious, and how much is posted specifically to court controversy<\/span><span>. Relatedly, many of these female creators \u2013 especially tradwife behemoths like Nara Smith \u2013 doubtless have their own (often sizeable) incomes. But no matter the motivations behind it, this content is reaching millions of young women who are engaging with it, and it reflects (and is shaping) a very real cultural shift towards traditional gender roles among young people: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kcl.ac.uk\/news\/almost-a-third-of-gen-z-men-agree-a-wife-should-obey-her-husband\"><span>research published in March<\/span><\/a><span>by Ipsos and the Global Institute for Women\u2019s Leadership at King\u2019s College London found baby boomers have more liberal views than Gen Z on everything from whether a wife should always obey her husband to whether it\u2019s ever OK for a woman to initiate sex.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>We\u2019ve been on this path for a while. Regressive, anti-feminist social media content aside, the fraying social contract has made achieving financial independence difficult if not outright impossible for many women<\/span><span>. Living costs are rising. House prices are astronomical. At the same time, wages are stagnant and the gender pay gap remains stubbornly high. In this context, many young women have realised, correctly, that you can\u2019t \u2018girlboss\u2019 your way to independence and security \u2013 and some have begun to believe that under the current system, it\u2019s better to give up on jobs entirely and focus on securing a male provider.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<blockquote>\n<p><span>Relying on a male partner to fund your life is a slippery slope to abuse and coercion<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>But we don\u2019t need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The last decade has shown that wearing a pink blazer, aspiring to become a \u2018She-EO\u2019, and climbing the corporate ladder \u2013 often trampling on other people in the process \u2013 is not a reliable path to freedom or happiness. It\u2019s a good thing that more women are realising that some of third-wave feminism&#8217;s more neoliberal elements sold them a lie: \u2018<\/span>having<span> it all\u2019 \u2013 that is, enjoying a high-flying, well-paid career <\/span><em><span>and<\/span><\/em><span> a traditional family life \u2013 is, in reality, more like \u2018<\/span><em><span>doing <\/span><\/em><span>it all\u2019, given that women still do a disproportionate amount of housework and childcare. But hoping that your male partner will provide for you indefinitely is not the way out of this bind. <\/span><span>Not least because, for the vast majority of people, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/63260\/1\/tradwives-in-this-economy-nara-smith-women-feminism-income-work\"><span>running a household on one income alone is no longer viable in the long-term<\/span><\/a><span>, but also because it can do troubling things to your relationship dynamic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>No one is saying that it\u2019s \u2018toxic\u2019 for your partner to spoil you on your birthday. No one is even objecting to a set-up where each partner contributes to a household\u2019s living costs in a manner proportional to their own income \u2013 and, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/employmentandlabourmarket\/peopleinwork\/earningsandworkinghours\/bulletins\/genderpaygapintheuk\/2025\"><span>thanks to the gender pay gap,<\/span><\/a><span> it\u2019s likely the man in a straight relationship will end up forking out a bit more than the woman. What <\/span><em><span>is<\/span><\/em><span> dangerous, however, is the notion that women should just give up and lean in to being infantilised dependants who <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@poppycollis1106\/video\/7405945844400229665?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc\"><span>scribble away in colouring books while their partners do \u201cbig boy\u201d work<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-tiktok\" data-id=\"7599085831495634231\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Work can be drudgerous, grim, and soul-destroying in innumerable ways, and I can sympathise with the urge to throw in the towel, but individual solutions to systemic issues seldom work. As feminists have warned for a very long time, relying on a male partner to fund your life is a slippery slope to abuse and coercion. Money, under the system in which we live, equals freedom. <\/span><em><span>Real<\/span><\/em><span> money, <\/span><em><span>your own<\/span><\/em><span> money \u2013 not the pittance your boyfriend doles out for you to get a Dior lip oil and the occasional iced vanilla matcha. You need enough money to know that whatever life throws at you, you can insulate yourself against disaster. You can buy your own groceries. You can pay your own rent. You can buy a train ticket out of there.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Financial dependence is how many women find themselves trapped in abusive relationships. Women in these situations, for whatever reason, are often unable to secure the kind of stable, well-paid jobs that would grant them the autonomy that money allows. Most would kill for that kind of freedom. This is why it\u2019s so distasteful to see middle-class, able-bodied, educated women <\/span><em><span>willingly<\/span><\/em><span> put themselves in this situation and glamourising it on TikTok. Of course there are\u00a0<\/span><span>issues with neoliberal-leaning feminist arguments which suggest that it\u2019s inherently empowering for women to go out and \u2018hustle\u2019 as hard as men. But while we still live under a system where money reigns supreme, any smart woman will make damn sure they\u2019ve got their own cash stashed in the bank. Ignore this central tenet of feminism at your peril.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/life-culture\/article\/69979\/1\/women-please-stop-acting-like-babies-tiktok-infantilisation-trend&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/214-0-1536-1024\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1440\/2\/1442395.jpg&#8221;] Cinderella March\u00a0 25,\u00a0 2026 Life &amp; Culture \/ Opinion Life &amp; Culture \/ Opinion Women: Please, stop acting like babies A new wave of TikTok content is glamourising financial dependence on men \u2013 and it\u2019s setting feminism back decades March\u00a0 25,\u00a0 2026 March\u00a0 25,\u00a0 2026 TextSerena Smith Hypergamy \u2013 the practice of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1846435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1846435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1846435"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1846435\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1846435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1846435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1846435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}