Monica Hesse

possible if you are of a certain class you know i'm going to answer that in a roundabout way please by telling you my favorite scene from the reality show the secret lives of mormon wives please i'm so glad you brought that up yeah which which has just premiered its second season but last year in its first season there was a fascinating scene where all of these mormon women who are tiktok influencers who call themselves mom talk they're all they're all

possible if you are of a certain class you know i'm going to answer that in a roundabout way please by telling you my favorite scene from the reality show the secret lives of mormon wives please i'm so glad you brought that up yeah which which has just premiered its second season but last year in its first season there was a fascinating scene where all of these mormon women who are tiktok influencers who call themselves mom talk they're all they're all

quote unquote stay-at-home moms who are Mormon and who espouse this Mormon lifestyle and a lot of the aesthetics we've been discussing and consider themselves devout Mormons and socially conservatives and their husbands ahead of their households. And then there's this moment where one of the women asks the others, who is the high earner in your family?

quote unquote stay-at-home moms who are Mormon and who espouse this Mormon lifestyle and a lot of the aesthetics we've been discussing and consider themselves devout Mormons and socially conservatives and their husbands ahead of their households. And then there's this moment where one of the women asks the others, who is the high earner in your family?

quote unquote stay-at-home moms who are Mormon and who espouse this Mormon lifestyle and a lot of the aesthetics we've been discussing and consider themselves devout Mormons and socially conservatives and their husbands ahead of their households. And then there's this moment where one of the women asks the others, who is the high earner in your family?

And there is a uncomfortable stare exchanged among the women. And then slowly, one after one, they all start to raise their hands. Because what's happened is that they have actually made successful businesses out of being successful. trad wives. They have sold the concept of staying home so well that they're making lots of money from it and in some ways out-earning their husbands.

And there is a uncomfortable stare exchanged among the women. And then slowly, one after one, they all start to raise their hands. Because what's happened is that they have actually made successful businesses out of being successful. trad wives. They have sold the concept of staying home so well that they're making lots of money from it and in some ways out-earning their husbands.

And there is a uncomfortable stare exchanged among the women. And then slowly, one after one, they all start to raise their hands. Because what's happened is that they have actually made successful businesses out of being successful. trad wives. They have sold the concept of staying home so well that they're making lots of money from it and in some ways out-earning their husbands.

But they still, because of their beliefs, because of their social status and the way that they present, have to present a facade in which they are still the helpmeets. They are still the subservient wives to their husbands. And this is really head-spinning because What it sort of reveals is how much this is a performance. And it also just gets at the question of women's work generally.

But they still, because of their beliefs, because of their social status and the way that they present, have to present a facade in which they are still the helpmeets. They are still the subservient wives to their husbands. And this is really head-spinning because What it sort of reveals is how much this is a performance. And it also just gets at the question of women's work generally.

But they still, because of their beliefs, because of their social status and the way that they present, have to present a facade in which they are still the helpmeets. They are still the subservient wives to their husbands. And this is really head-spinning because What it sort of reveals is how much this is a performance. And it also just gets at the question of women's work generally.

What is it worth if we were paying it equally? What would it look like? And what would an equal partnership look like? So you see this sort of really interesting journey where I think a lot of women become enamored of the trad wife lifestyle because it looks relaxing and it looks...

What is it worth if we were paying it equally? What would it look like? And what would an equal partnership look like? So you see this sort of really interesting journey where I think a lot of women become enamored of the trad wife lifestyle because it looks relaxing and it looks...

What is it worth if we were paying it equally? What would it look like? And what would an equal partnership look like? So you see this sort of really interesting journey where I think a lot of women become enamored of the trad wife lifestyle because it looks relaxing and it looks...

peaceful and it looks like i can finally have enough time to have a clean house and homemade meals and not be stressed and get enough sleep and get to the gym and the only way that i can do this is by embracing the trad wife lifestyle which as you point out is a position of privilege to be in And then if you get really good at that, you start making your own money.

peaceful and it looks like i can finally have enough time to have a clean house and homemade meals and not be stressed and get enough sleep and get to the gym and the only way that i can do this is by embracing the trad wife lifestyle which as you point out is a position of privilege to be in And then if you get really good at that, you start making your own money.

peaceful and it looks like i can finally have enough time to have a clean house and homemade meals and not be stressed and get enough sleep and get to the gym and the only way that i can do this is by embracing the trad wife lifestyle which as you point out is a position of privilege to be in And then if you get really good at that, you start making your own money.

So it's just, it's a really fascinating Ouroboros of what this life cycle means, what the money inside it means.

So it's just, it's a really fascinating Ouroboros of what this life cycle means, what the money inside it means.

So it's just, it's a really fascinating Ouroboros of what this life cycle means, what the money inside it means.