• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
NewslettersMPW Daily

Can Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In take on tradwives and the manosphere?

Emma Hinchliffe
By
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Most Powerful Women Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Emma Hinchliffe
By
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Most Powerful Women Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 27, 2026, 11:26 AM ET
Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In is taking on tradwives and the manosphere.
Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In is taking on tradwives and the manosphere.David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The Wall Street Journal had a really interesting story yesterday about the current state of Lean In. There’s some news on an organizational overhaul—cuts to a quarter of the nonprofit’s staff and a new CEO (Bridget Griswold, a 25-year-old whose background is in AI).

Recommended Video

But what caught my attention was the WSJ‘s take on where Sheryl Sandberg is taking Lean In next. What started as a movement encouraging women to pursue ambitious careers is now positioning itself as the counterpoint to the rise of tradwives and the manosphere, the Journal reports. For those who aren’t on social media, these two separate, but related, trends have grown significantly in popularity over the past year. With Trump’s return to office and DEI backlash, a certain segment of men in power have embraced a form of hyper-aggressive manhood. And it has seeped into the business world too (witness Sandberg’s former colleague Mark Zuckerberg’s much-maligned comments a year ago that companies need more “masculine energy.”) It’s a problem.

The rise of tradwives has paralleled this. These are the women glamorizing homemaking on social media—but earning big bucks doing so, making them the breadwinners for their families. Some critics say their content makes taking care of a family full-time seem like a breeze rather than the hard work it is, usually with little acknowledgment of the long-term financial and personal trade-offs. Then there’s a more general fatigue among women that corporate America is not working for them anymore, as seen in Lean In’s own data, which found late last year that fewer women are now aiming to be promoted at work.

Hints of this new direction for Lean In started appearing over the past few weeks. On March 10, Sandberg gave an interview to People magazine, where she said, “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.” The next week, she wrote a blog post about the same topic. She’s emphasized that while TikTok may make tradwives seem trendy, it’s not a new idea—far from it.

I spoke to a Lean In spokesperson, who added some detail to what this means in practice—and the connection between a young, AI-forward CEO and this mission. Lean In is planning to continue the work it’s best known for (membership circles for women, a large annual study on women in the workplace) but is looking to use technology to produce more “of-the-moment” research. And what’s more of the moment than tradwives on TikTok?

I think that Lean In and Sandberg face some headwinds fighting back against these cultural tides. For women attracted to tradwife life, Lean In represents everything they are rejecting. Sandberg has a powerful voice, but will she be able to reach the women who have already turned their backs on everything she stands for? To be clear, Sandberg is not going after women who stay at home but saying the problem is when women are “weighed down by outdated norms” when making that choice. Still, I’m curious to see how that message lands. (And on the manosphere: God knows those men aren’t listening to what Lean In has to say!)

Overall, I agree with Sandberg: The rise of the tradwife movement, as we’ve seen it on social media, has been harmful to women. I’m interested to see whatever AI-powered research Lean In produces on this topic. If Sandberg can figure out a way to give women’s ambition as much of a hold online as baking bread and making baby food from scratch, we will all be better for it.

Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com

The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Subscribe here.

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

Pete Hegseth is blocking the promotion of four Army officers to be one-star generals. Two of the officers are Black and two are women, raising concerns that they are being singled out based on their race of gender. (Three dozen officers are up for promotion, and most are white men.) For a secretary of defense (or war) to block any promotions at this level is highly unusual, the NYT reports. 

The Church of England is led by a woman for the first time in 1,400 years. Sarah Mullally became the 106th archbishop of Canterbury in a ceremony this week. Her appointment was first announced in October. "I could never have imagined the future that lay ahead, and certainly not the ministry to which I am now called," she said in her speech. 

Babylist is getting close to an IPO. The baby registry platform led by Natalie Gordon is close to $1 billion in revenue. An IPO is on the table for as soon as 2027. 

Olaplex is going private. The hair care company is being acquired by the German business Henkel for $1.4 billion. Now led by Amanda Baldwin, the former CEO of Supergoop, Olaplex went public in 2021. The deal represented a premium of more than 50% over its closing stock price on Wednesday—which was around $1. 

Yesterday was Equal Pay Day. For the second year in a row, women lost ground. Women are earning 81 cents for every dollar men earn, down from 83 cents a year ago and 84 cents the year before that. 

ON MY RADAR

California renames Cesar Chavez Day NYT

Elizabeth Holmes gets a year knocked off her prison term Bloomberg

Morgan Stewart McGraw knows you're underestimating her Elle

PARTING WORDS

"I hope that women who are going through something similar feel less alone."

— Belle Burden on her bestselling memoir about her divorce, Strangers

This is the web version of MPW Daily, a daily newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.
About the Author
Emma Hinchliffe
By Emma HinchliffeMost Powerful Women Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Emma Hinchliffe is Fortune’s Most Powerful Women editor, overseeing editorial for the longstanding franchise. As a senior writer at Fortune, Emma has covered women in business and gender-lens news across business, politics, and culture. She is the lead author of the Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune’s daily missive for and about the women leading the business world.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Newsletters

Exclusive: Hera raises $27 million to tackle the unpaid caregiving that falls on daughters of the sandwich generation
NewslettersMPW Daily
Exclusive: Hera raises $27 million to tackle the unpaid caregiving that falls on daughters of the sandwich generation
By Emma HinchliffeJune 25, 2026
18 hours ago
VivaTech entrance in Paris.
NewslettersEye on AI
Europe’s AI wake-up call: Cybersecurity threats, sovereignty fears, and a growing demand for ROI dominated VivaTech
By Beatrice NolanJune 25, 2026
20 hours ago
Lux Capital cofounder Josh Wolfe’s limited-odds, high-stakes 2027 predictions
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Lux Capital cofounder Josh Wolfe’s limited-odds, high-stakes 2027 predictions
By Allie GarfinkleJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
A 6 year study shows which CEOs are pushing RTO mandates: The ones with the biggest egos
NewslettersCEO Daily
A 6 year study shows which CEOs are pushing RTO mandates: The ones with the biggest egos
By Claire ZillmanJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (left) and Broadcom CEO Hock Tan holding their new AI chip, “Jalapeño.” (Photo courtesy OpenAI)
NewslettersFortune Tech
OpenAI and Broadcom’s AI chip has a name: Jalapeño
By Andrew NuscaJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
How Home Depot is rebuilding retailing with AI
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
How Home Depot is rebuilding retailing with AI
By John KellJune 24, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
2 days ago
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
Success
Ikea’s billionaire founder was so frugal that he bought clothes from flea markets and took free salt and pepper from restaurants
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
21 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Thursday, June 25, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Thursday, June 25, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
22 hours ago
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
Economy
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
By Tristan BoveJune 25, 2026
14 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.