Hannah Neeleman, the woman behind the popular social media account Ballerina Farm, has recently become a subject of controversy. While her seemingly idyllic family life, captured in videos of cooking, dancing, and farm life, has amassed millions of followers, a recent interview with The Times has sparked questions about her agency and the reality behind the picture-perfect image.
Neeleman, a former ballerina who left her career to become a wife and mother, shares her life on Ballerina Farm with her husband Daniel and their eight children. The couple, who live on a farm in Utah, have built a brand around their traditional lifestyle, selling products like sourdough and apparel online.
While Neeleman insists she doesn’t identify with the ‘trad wife’ label, the interview highlighted several points that have fueled criticism. Concerns were raised about her access to pain relief during childbirth, with Neeleman stating she only received an epidural when she was two weeks overdue and her husband wasn’t present. The interview also mentioned how Daniel moved items from Neeleman’s bedroom, including sequined gowns from her ballet days, to the garage, raising questions about her agency in the household.
The interview also brought attention to the couple’s religious background as devout Mormons. Several commentators have pointed out the potential pressure placed on women within Mormonism to prioritize family life above all else, highlighting how Neeleman’s choice to leave a promising ballet career for family life might have been influenced by religious expectations.
While Neeleman maintains that she chose this life and is happy with it, the interview has sparked a debate about the portrayal of traditional lifestyles on social media. Critics argue that Ballerina Farm’s content may romanticize a lifestyle that limits women’s agency and that the couple’s portrayal of their lives might be a curated, idealized version of reality.
The controversy surrounding Ballerina Farm highlights the complex relationship between social media, traditional values, and the representation of women’s lives. It has sparked a conversation about the influence of religion, the pressures of traditional roles, and the importance of understanding the nuances behind the seemingly perfect images shared online.
