Ballerina Farm's Hannah Reacts to Rumors She Inspired Yesteryear's Tradwife
Ballerina Farm influencer Hannah Neeleman has seen the conversation surrounding Yesteryear - and speculation she was the inspiration behind the hit novel's main character.
"I know what's going on," Neeleman, 35, said in an interview with Vulture published Tuesday, June 16, when asked about the book by Caro Claire Burke.
Addressing the speculation, Neeleman continued, "I've had an online presence for enough time to know that people like to be entertained. I've been the butt of jokes and Reels that I've seen. It didn't really surprise me. I think it just comes with the eyes. There's so much discourse, like, ‘Oh my gosh, it's such a big family, and there's no way she can be doing this.' So it was like all these ideas are bubbling up into this fictional, entertaining book about tradwives. I'm surprised it didn't come sooner, honestly."
Yesteryear, released in April, tells the story of a viral social media influencer named Natalie who portrays an idyllic traditional lifestyle with her husband and six children. Things take a turn, however, when she suddenly wakes up in 1855 - and realizes the real-life version of her faux online way of life isn't so ideal, after all.
While readers have devoured the novel (which already has Anne Hathaway attached to its movie adaptation), Neeleman has her own perspective on the tradwife trend.
"Before tradwives, it was the mommy-blogger phase, right?" she told Vulture. "People have always been fascinated with mothers making money being at home with their children. With online discourse, women feed off that negative energy sometimes and that's why things blow up. I honestly stay away from it as much as I can. So when the term tradwife comes up, or I'm seeing things about Yesteryear, I don't lean into them."
The mom of nine explained, "I don't think women who want to work are winning. I don't think mothers are winning. In fact, I think it's a step backward. If someone wants to be a mother, great. If someone wants to be a mother and sell sourdough-bread kits, great. We have to support and cheer each other on even if it doesn't look like what our home life looks like."
Neeleman, who shares her children with husband Daniel, noted that "it wasn't that long ago that women's only role was the home" and being a homemaker.
"That was their extent. So for women who want to be more, seeing other women glamorize that aspect of womanhood is hard," she said, claiming that "women love to compare," which she doesn't notice "as much with men."
"I think it is something about women, like, thinking that if we tear them down, we'll feel better about ourselves. I think it is something that women do that's kind of their nature, unfortunately," she explained.
When it comes to the "debate" about the role women play in their families, the influencer added that women "still have work to do."
"There's no one saying that a man can't do laundry and cook and have an amazing job on Wall Street and be a father. Why can't women do that as well?" she said. "I understand where the debate is coming from, but I think women have the capability to lean into whatever talents or interests they have. Women are talented in the kitchen, they are talented mothers and nurturers, so they can lean into that, because they have the opportunity to do other things as well."
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 11:24 AM.