Many people get into romantic relationships hoping to feel safe, happy, and in love at all times. But let's be honest-being a girlfriend can feel like a full-time job. It isn’t all roses and wine all the time.
It is no surprise that the stay-at-home girlfriend trend has gained so much popularity. While modern women can do it all, some prefer to stay home and take care of the home while their men go to work.
In such arrangements, the boyfriend goes to work and pays the bills. On the other hand, the girlfriend is responsible for house chores and running errands. The trend has become popular on TikTok and Instagram.
While one end of the divide is jealous of stay-at-home girlfriends, the other thinks it's a toxic and problematic arrangement. Here are a few pros and cons of the trend.
Pros of the Stay-at-Home Girlfriend Trend
Streamlining Your Lifestyle
One of the biggest benefits of being a stay-at-home girlfriend is that it can streamline your lifestyle. You can run errands, prepare meals, go shopping, and complete other chores while your partner is at work.
Therefore, you and your partner don't need to juggle schedules trying to decide who needs to do what. You are in control of your schedule, and your boyfriend can put all his efforts into his work. Being present at all times offers great support to your partner-It is a win-win situation.
Moving Cross Country to Share a Home With Your Partner Strengthens Your Bond
Long-distance relationships can be very strenuous. Moving cross-country to live with your partner may be risky but it is a fantastic way to improve your bond.
Research budget-friendly coast-to-coast movers to minimize your relocation expenses. Being a stay-at-home girlfriend may be your best bet while you explore employment opportunities.
Comfortable Lifestyle
If your boyfriend works hard for you, there’s nothing wrong with making them your full-time job. The stay-at-home girlfriend lifestyle can be very comfortable. It allows you to make a home and life for him while avoiding work-related stresses.
If he brings home the bacon and you fry it up, you can both avoid being overworked, unhappy, and overstressed.
Cons of the Stay-at-Home Girlfriend Trend
Financial Dependence On Your Partner
The stay-at-home girlfriend trend promotes unhealthy financial reliance on your partner. While it may look glam for the gram, it is pretty dangerous. Codependency is unhealthy regardless of the nature of your relationship.
Promotes Unrealistic Standards
Capitalism has always promoted impossible standards. This trend goes in the opposite direction but yields the same results. It feels like an extension of the toxic girl-boss culture.
Influencers who support this trend take their viewers along for a typical day. They perform tasks like cleaning the home, cooking, running errands, and working out. Critics argue that staying at home, especially when one doesn’t have kids, is not a real job.
Romanticizing a Lifestyle
Giving women the option to work, stay home, or pursue personal interests is excellent. However, the stay-at-home girlfriend trend romanticizes this lifestyle. It gives the impression that this is an option for everyone. However, most average adults cannot afford to live on one income.
Perpetrators of the lifestyle fail to mention the historical context and privilege they enjoy. In addition, certain cultures would meet stay-at-home girlfriends with a level of public criticism and cultural critique.
In conclusion, the digital era has been tickling our voyeuristic sides more than ever. Your phone gives you an insight into what others are doing with their lives, who they are dating, and what they had for dinner.
While this is fantastic, it can turn toxic. The stay-at-home girlfriend trend, for example, has gained much popularity thanks to the internet. While some say it is a step in the direct direction, others consider it backward and unfeminist.
WRITTEN BY
Claire Ward