Can Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In Take on Tradwives and the Manosphere?

The Wall Street Journal published an interesting story about the current direction of Lean In. The organization is undergoing a restructuring, including staff cuts and the appointment of a new CEO, Bridget Griswold, 25, with a background in AI.

Sandberg's focus is on positioning Lean In as a counterpoint to the rise of 'tradwives' and the 'manosphere', phenomena that have gained popularity in the last year. The concern lies in the growing normalization of traditional roles and the influence of ideas that could undermine women's progress in the workplace and personal sphere.

The 'manosphere', with its focus on aggressive masculinity, has found an echo in the business world, as evidenced by controversial comments from figures like Mark Zuckerberg. In parallel, 'tradwives' glorify homemaking on social media, often presenting it as a simple and profitable task, without acknowledging the sacrifices and challenges it entails.

This context has generated fatigue among women in the corporate world, as shown by a Lean In study that reveals a decrease in women's ambition to advance in their jobs.

In an interview with People magazine, Sandberg stated: “The message that is going out is that in order to be a good wife or a good mother, you need to do it full time. And the truth is that that is a decision almost no women can afford to make.” She later wrote a blog on the same topic, highlighting that, although 'tradwives' may seem like a recent trend on TikTok, it is not a new idea.

Sandberg seeks to challenge the idea that women must choose between their career and their family, promoting freedom of choice and the possibility of balancing both aspects of life.

Lean In intends to continue its traditional initiatives, such as membership circles for women and annual studies on women in the workplace, but also seeks to employ technology to produce more current research. This includes the analysis of the influence of 'tradwives' on platforms like TikTok.

The organization faces the task of counteracting cultural currents that promote traditional gender roles and questioning ideas that could limit women's choices.

Sandberg recognizes that the 'tradwives' movement represents a contradiction for many women. The challenge for Lean In is to reach those women who have rejected the values that the organization promotes.

The ultimate goal is to empower women, allowing them to pursue their ambitions without feeling limited by outdated social expectations. AI-driven research could be key to understanding and addressing these challenges.