I married an airline heir & quit my job to raise our 8 kids – but I hate being called a tradwife, I’m not oppressed
AFTER quitting her dream life as a ballerina to move onto a farm with her husband, Hannah Neeleman adapted quickly to rural life.
But the mum-of-eight recently hit back when people flooded the comment section of her viral videos claiming she’s oppressed.
Hannah lives and works on Ballerina Farm with her husband Daniel, who’s the son of Jet Blue founder David Neeleman, and their bumper brood.
Despite their outwardly appearing idyllic life, the family were met with a wave of controversy when an interview was published which didn’t turn out the way she’d hoped.
The mum posted a clip to her social media calling out the piece on her and her family, noting that she was shocked with the final product.
The in-depth article, published by The Sunday Times, revealed what life is really like on Ballerina Farm and also showcased Hannah’s dedication to her family and life in the countryside.
But as far as Hannah is concerned she’s no tradwife.
“For me to have the label of a traditional woman, I don’t know if I identify with that,” she said in a response video she shared about the story.
Hannah is an ex-pageant queen and former ballerina who trained at the prestigious Juilliard School before marring her husband and leaving her life in bustling New York City behind for the farm.
But the mum’s content on social media has garnered levels of fame she couldn’t anticipate – she now has over 9.7 million followers on Instagram and 9.4 on TikTok.
The clips often what her life is like as a homemaker on their 328-acre farm in Utah, but it was one clip in particular that left a sour taste in some viewer’s mouths.
In the viral video, Hannah expressed that she wanted a trip to Greece for her birthday, but instead was gifted an apron with pockets to collect eggs on the farm.
“He can definitely afford to take her to Greece, I’d divorce him over this present,” one person commented on the clip.
Despite the controversy, Hannah insisted she loved the gift and resents the way she’s painted “as oppressed, with my husband being the culprit.”
“This couldn’t be further from the truth,” she said.
Speaking about their 13-year union, Hannah continued: “Together we have built a business from scratch.
“We’ve brought eight children into this world, and have prioritised our marriage all along the way.”
In fact, the former dancer said her and Daniel plan to grow their farm, which offers a range of products including dairy, meat, kitchenware, even more over the coming months and years.
The couple also plan to have more kids, as Hannah said in the response video, “we aren’t done having babies.”
Despite her instance she’s happy with her lifestyle, people were still left convinced that she wasn’t being totally honest.
“It wasn’t even the article that convinced me, it was the video of the light leaving her eyes with the egg apron and his condescending ‘you’re welcome’ at the end,” one person commented on the video.
“It’s your life and no one else can have an opinion on it, but I do hope you get a break from constantly looking after the kids and cooking to go to Greece,” someone else chimed in.
Meanwhile, others jumped to Hannah’s defence, praising her “beautiful family” and “dream life.”
“You have a beautiful family and are such an inspiration for many people, so who cares what people think,” one wrote.
“If you’re happy Hannah, then I’m happy for you,” another said.
What is a trad wife?
A trad wife (short for traditional wife) is a woman who chooses to take on an ultra traditional role in marriage, meaning she makes dinner and looks pretty whilst her husband goes to work.
The trend takes inspiration from the idea of a 1950s housewife.
Many ‘trad wives’ choose to dress in the style of clothing popular in this period (think floral dresses and frumpy cardigans).
Additionally, the values considered important to trad wives are similar to strict Christian values.
Trad wives believed they were not forced into this way of life, and that it was their purpose to be homemakers.
The trend, which has garnered attention on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, glamorises a time gone by with little acknowledgement of the economic challenges facing families and mothers today.