From voluntary submission to reactive antifeminism: the appropriation and re-signification of tradwife discourse in manosphere communities

Abstract

This study examines how manosphere communities appropriate and reframe the tradwife phenomenon to legitimize patriarchal values through narratives of individual freedom and personal choice. Using Critical Discourse Analysis, the study analyzes a corpus of YouTube and TikTok content focused on the Spanish influencer Roro Bueno and the associated audience interactions. The findings identify six recurring discursive strategies: discrediting feminism, validating the male gaze, promoting biological essentialism, endorsing anti-progressive narratives, romanticizing traditional gender roles, and sanctioning women who challenge conservative expectations. The analysis shows how these narratives normalize gender inequality while presenting traditional femininity as voluntary empowerment. Audience participation further amplifies these discourses, highlighting social media as a key space for the reproduction of gender ideologies among young people. The study contributes to research on digital cultures and gender by demonstrating how lifestyle content can function as a vehicle for contemporary antifeminist discourse, underscoring the importance of strengthening critical digital and media literacy within educational contexts.