Proctor is a cultural anthropologist who studies how identities are formed in digital environments, with a particular emphasis on the processes of radicalization into far-right extremist movements.
Devin Proctor, assistant professor of anthropology, spoke with Folha de S.Paulo, Brazil鈥檚 largest daily paper, about the influence of the 鈥渢radwife鈥 movement on Brazilian culture.
Tradwives are a growing collection of women on social media who embrace what they consider attributes of the 鈥渢raditional wife,鈥 including not having a job, keeping the home, raising children and being obedient to their husbands. While involvement and interest in the group has grown exponentially on TikTok and Instagram in recent years through influencers like Nara Smith and Ballerina Farm, it has not been able to shake off an undercurrent of initial connections to alt-right networks and white supremacy.
The article, 鈥溾 (in English, 鈥淯nderstand the ‘tradwife’ wave of beautiful, modest, and housewifely right-wing influencers鈥), discusses how the movement鈥攚hich originated in the UK and US several years ago鈥攈as begun popping up in Brazilian social media spaces, and questions whether it is linked to Brazil鈥檚 recent political turn to the far-right under Bolsonoro.
When asked about whether the movement is misogynist or racist, as many critics argue, Proctor argues that there is, rather, 鈥渋mplicit misogyny and racism in this trend, which stems from the valorization of a perfect past.鈥 Proctor goes on to explain that: 鈥渢here are probably many tradwives who do not view themselves as racist, don鈥檛 say any overtly racist things, and would be offended if someone suggested otherwise. On the other hand, they are acting out this past that was quite oppressive to people of color. The idea that the 1950s in the US was an idyllic, perfect, peaceful time of prosperity is a myth that can only be realistically applied to a specific segment of white middle-and-upper class people.鈥
The article in Folha de S.Paulo is the most recent in a series of international pieces Proctor has contributed to about tradwives. He initially wrote about tradwives in a in 2022, but as the trend widened beyond the UK and US, he has been interviewed by and (both Dutch) as well as .