Staff writer Aleesha Naqvi argues the silent resurgence of conservatism among the women leading contemporary pop culture
Sabrina Carpenter is renowned for her tongue-in-cheek lyricism filled with sexual innuendos. Her new song House Tour, from her most recent album Man’s Best Friend, is not only a blatant metaphor for sex but also directly associates a woman’s body with a house. Whilst adding to an already long history of equating women with the home, it builds upon the existing culture around gender roles. Sabrina alludes to waxing herself in preparation with the allegory, “Yeah, I spent a little fortune on the waxed floors/We can be a little reckless ’cause it’s insured”. As she spends a ‘little fortune’ on making herself desirable, the lyrics reinforce the image of women as objects.
I could take you to the first, second, third floor
And I promise none of this is a metaphor
I just want you to come inside
Baby, what’s mine is now yours”
Women as objects
While Carpenter’s music is sexy and fun, it also demonstrates how women are commodified. The objectification of women reduces them to how they can be used to fulfil male sexual desire. A joint study by the University of South Wales and Middlesex University demonstrated how women can often internalise sexual objectification and view themselves as bodies first, above other characteristics. The study also found that women who are comparatively more sexualised were seen as less deserving of moral treatment by both men and women, demonstrating how it’s not a male-centred sociocultural issue.
Carpenter has been pictured in W Magazine in a photoshoot that strikingly resembles Lolita (1997), romanticising the film and the period in which it was made. For the outro of her song Nonsense she said this in February 2024, “I’m full grown but I look like a niña/ Come put something big in my casita/ Mexico, I think you are bonita!”, then in March 2024, “Gardens by the Bay, I wanna go there / Then, I’ll take you somewhere that has no hair / Singapore you’re so perfect, it’s no fair!”. By likening herself to a young girl, Carpenter is conveying a very specific message about which physical characteristics she deems most desirable. This links to the hairless beauty standards that many young girls were raised on, feeling ashamed of their body hair. Furthermore, Republican and far-right public figures have been encouraging women to abstain from university and find fulfilment in being wives and mothers instead of their careers, such as Kansas City Chiefs’ star Harrison Butker’s speech at Benedictine College.
As Carpenter’s young audiences listen and dance to her songs, buy her merch, and plead with their parents to purchase concert tickets, it’s worth discussing the message she is sending them. While it may not be her responsibility to keep her work PG-13, and parents bear responsibility for the content their children are consuming, Carpenter’s platform provides her with influence and a wide audience. It’s a big conversation that has many facets and perspectives. But back to Sabrina’s House Tour.
Traditional Gender Roles
After World War II, women were expected to leave the labour force to make space for men returning from service, hence a cultural push for the housewife image. The 50s and post-war era are romanticised; families reunited, a strong community, and Allied victory. As the hegemonic American culture informs many others, the push in US media around the traditional family inspired a push towards cementing conventional gender roles. The tradwife trend bears a striking resemblance to this propaganda movement. As right-wing politics gain traction, it’s no surprise to see the rise in modest and conservative fashion, such as the PrettyLittleThing rebrand, and the ‘soft living’ aesthetic.
Women finding fame at home
Mastering cooking and homemaking appears to be a ‘safe’ method for women to achieve success and fame, as demonstrated by the careers of Julia Child, Martha Stewart, and even Meghan Markle. Women’s associations as homemakers and mothers are not new by any means, and many women find great fulfilment from being stay-at-home mothers. However, in the year 2025, it still seems to be a ‘safe’ way for women to achieve success without relentless cultural critique. Julia Child joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in 1942 and earned a spot as a classified researcher working directly for William J. Donovan, the head of the OSS. Child worked in the OSS as a crucial member of the Allied forces during World War Two. During 1944-1945, Child travelled to Ceylon and China as an overseas operative and head of the OSS Registry; she had top security clearance and read every incoming and outgoing message to all intelligence branches. However, her name inspires images of a smiling woman in an apron and oven gloves in a cookbook.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting a career in cooking, recipe-making, or being a professional homemaker, it is interesting that Child’s fame comes from her recipes instead of her intelligence service. Furthermore, Martha Stewart, TV home and hospitality personality, was a stockbroker for almost 10 years, with a double degree in history and architectural history. Even Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex and accomplished actor, has recently added a second season to her cosy cooking and crafts show on Netflix, With Love, Meghan. This demonstrates a cultural trend of women’s safest way of establishing fame to be in celebrating traditional roles as mothers and homemakers.
Tradwives and the rise of conservatism
‘Tradwives’ is the moniker for women on social media building their personal brand and content around being stay-at-home wives and mothers. Content is usually focused on cooking, crafts, and homemaking. The content creators are also usually white women who identify themselves as Christian, overwhelmingly so. The Guardian’s article by Hadley Freeman defines them as “a woman who doesn’t work so as to look after their children, their husband, their home and then talk non-stop about how great this is on social media. Who knew being so traditional was also so modern?”
One of the most famous tradwives on social media is Nara Smith, a former model turned content creator who is famous for making all of her children’s meals from scratch while wearing extravagant outfits. The glamourisation of cooking and home-making is not new, just on a new level with social media and influencers. Another famous example is BallerinaFarm, led by Hannah Neeleman, a Juilliard graduate, Utah-based conservative influencer who speaks out against abortion and for traditional gender roles. The account has over 9 million followers.
This all leads to the great contradiction in tradwife content creation, because these women have jobs as content creators, suggesting they are not upholding traditional gender roles. They stand on platforms built by suffragettes and centuries of women’s rights activists, while trying to push them down the stairs. The whole point of feminism is to give women the choice to choose their careers and life choices with financial freedom and independence. There is nothing wrong with being a stay-at-home wife or mother or being a content creator. However, it is disappointing to see women benefitting from feminism whilst also pushing conservatism and subservience to their husbands. While aligning themselves with messages of serving their husbands, influencers may indirectly demonstrate alignment with MAGA politics that infringe on women’s rights. MAGA politicians and activists have been unafraid in their stances that women should vote the same as their husbands, as said by Fox News personality Jesse Watters. JD Vance, the Vice-President of the USA, also mentioned that he believes women should stay in abusive and violent marriages for the children’s sake. This is dangerous rhetoric that will only enforce systems of oppression.
Let Women Do What They Want!
Sabrina Carpenter has no obligation to make art and music that demonstrates strong feminist messages and stands as an anthem against the rise of conservatism. She’s an artist making the music she wants to make. Carpenter’s recent work has created a plethora of online discourse, articles, and think pieces; many believe that she satirises conservatism, and her messages of submission demonstrate choice feminism. Her most recent music video, Tears, features actor Colman Domingo in drag, demonstrating her allyship with the LGBTQ+ community. On CBS Mornings, she said her newest album cover and messages of submission are actually a statement about “being in on your lack of control, and when you want to be in control.” It makes the message inherently feminist, as the choice and consent lie in her hands.
However, it is disappointing how the biggest pop stars in the world only use their platforms when it directly benefits them. The same can be said about Taylor Swift’s silence around the Palestinian conflict. As conservatism rises, and women’s rights are under attack, it’s important to remind ourselves that the content we consume has messages that can influence audiences and create expectations that affect our social lives.
Or maybe House Tour is just a song about Sabrina giving someone a tour of her house. How would I know?
