Alix Earle is a prime example of how influencers shape the media in the direction of an anti-feminist culture and depict women as incompetent in the appeal of the traditional “housewife” aesthetic.
Alix is a popular lifestyle influencer, known for promoting lifestyle content on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Furthermore, Earle Meets World, a reality TV show starring Alix and her family, was recently released on Netflix, documenting the Earles’ “authentic everyday life.” In her growing popularity since 2023, Alix has received a lot of backlash, most recently from an interview she did with Mel Ottenberg for Interview Magazine. She admitted to having “Never read a book. Like maybe, Dr. Seuss?”, which sparked controversy surrounding the trend for women to act dumb to appear more feminine.
In today’s social media-centered world, instances like Alix Earle blatantly expressing her lack of literacy leaves the impression that it is “cool” for girls to not read or pursue academic-focused hobbies. Moreover, this concept relates to trends seen sprinkled throughout social media, such as “girl math” and “I’m just a girl”, which directly infantilizes women. Furthermore, these phrases feed propaganda to young girls that the concept of being feminine circles around acting dumb: to be perceived as “a real girl,” you cannot be smart. The trends being dispersed throughout the media focus on linking stupidity to womanhood, and having social media influencers enforcing such ideas is incredibly harmful to a society that is already dealing with a regression in the women’s equal rights movement.
Moreover, Alix Earle brands herself as a “girl boss” through her rising career in the media and marketing. However, it’s hard to agree with this notion when she’s illustrating the dumb blonde trope through her actions on social media. It’s even more infuriating to see someone so influential and privileged indulging in the babyfication of women in the media, making herself appear dumb as she believes it will be more appealing to her audience. Thus, it further allows girls to keep promoting this “modern housewife” idea where a lack of education is desirable, and raising a family is viewed as the fundamental aspect of womanhood.
We have created a society where it is deemed feminist to support the “choice” of being a housewife, when in reality, it is just propaganda fed to girls, as seen through the “I’m just a girl” trend. Seemingly that the rhetoric of a man providing everything for you instead of building a foundation for yourself as a woman is viewed as an aspect of womanhood. Understanding how damaging the media can be is crucial; influencers should not be able to persuade the public that being incompetent as a woman is “cute,” when there is still an ongoing battle for womanhood to be viewed as more than being “feminine.”