Hannah Neeleman, the social media sensation dubbed the “queen of the trad wives,” is at the center of a heated online discussion.
Known for her online brand “Ballerina Farmer,” the 34-year-old said in a new video that she “couldn’t love” her life “more” after she faced immense backlash for her traditional
With nearly 20 million followers across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, the Mormon homemaker is a mother of eight and has become the poster child for the “trad wife” (or traditional wife) movement.
“Trad wife” has become the title for a woman embracing traditional gender roles and domesticity, often valuing homemaking and family life over modern career ambitions.
Hannah Neeleman, the woman behind “Ballerina Farmer,” became the topic of heated discussions online following a profile on her by The Sunday Times
Image credits: Ballerina Farm / Instagram
Image credits: Ballerina Farm / Instagram
Hannah became the topic of heated online discussions following a profile on her, covered by The Sunday Times reporter Megan Agnew.
The profile painted a controversial picture of her life on a sprawling 328-acre farm in rural Utah with her husband, Daniel Neeleman, the son of David Neeleman, the billionaire founder of commercial airlines like JetBlue.
Reporter Megan Agnew revealed that she couldn’t speak to the 34-year-old mother “without her being corrected, interrupted or answered for by either her husband or a child”
The Mormon wife’s routine was described as one of relentless toil and sacrifice, portraying her as someone who gave up her ballerina dreams for a life dominated by farm chores and family duties, all under the watchful eye of her husband.
But her idyllic farm life and persona have drawn sharp criticism and concern from various corners of the internet. Social media users argued that she was juggling too many roles without adequate support.
“You can see her heartbreak, and sorrow filled her eyes,” read one comment on her lifestyle, while another said about Daniel, “What a pathetic husband.”
“I’ve never felt more sad for a stranger. I’m so sorry,” said another.
TikTokers pointed out the concerning details about the domestic and overly traditional lifestyle behind the “Ballerina Farm” brand
Following the backlash, the mother-of-eight said in a new video that she is living in a world she created with her husband.
“When we started to farm, I was swept up in the beauty of learning to make food from scratch… I was making my own butter, cheese, ice cream, and yogurt,” she said.
“It’s the world we created, and I couldn’t love it more,” she added.
The mother-of-eight released the following video on Sunday, where she said she “couldn’t love” the world they created “more”
Hannah was in her early 20s when she met Daniel, and they tied the knot just three months after their first date.
They are now parents to Henry, 12; Charles, 10; George, 9; Frances, 7; Lois, 5; Martha, 3; Mabel, 2; and Flora, 1.
The internet-famous couple said they wouldn’t mind expanding the family further. They said in a recent TikTok video that fans constantly ask them how many kids they plan to have.
“This is by far the number one question that we’ve gotten,” the content creator wife said while her husband teased the possibility of expanding their brood.
“We don’t really have a number,” he chimed in. “We’re just kind of going for it.”
