In 2010, we watched the "Housewives Girls" video and chose sides. We called the housewives bitter hags or the girls reckless sluts. We did not ask who filmed it, who profited, or why we were so eager to judge.
The video featured a group of young women or girls—depending on which version of the viral trend you encountered—mimicking the dramatic archetypes of the Real Housewives reality TV stars. At the time, the Bravo franchise was reaching its cultural zenith. In 2010, we watched the "Housewives Girls" video
Even as these women gained fame and income (becoming "millionaires" from housewife roles), academic discussion suggests they often remained subject to a "patriarchal gaze," where their value was judged by their performance of domestic drama. In 2010, we watched the "Housewives Girls" video