The Rise of "Soft Girls": A Trend of Quitting Work Among Swedish Women

As the concept of "soft girls" becomes popular in Sweden, young women are increasingly choosing to leave their jobs for a more relaxed lifestyle, sparking national debates on gender equality and personal choice.

In Sweden, known globally for its commitment to gender equality, a new trend is taking root among young women: the decision to quit their jobs and adopt a lifestyle referred to as “soft girl.” 25-year-old Vilma Larsson is one of these individuals, having stepped away from various jobs in sectors including retail and caregiving a year ago to become a stay-at-home-girlfriend. Larsson expresses immense satisfaction with her decision, claiming it has substantially reduced her stress levels and allowed her to engage in leisure activities, like exercise and social outings.

Her boyfriend, who works remotely in finance, supports the couple financially, providing her with monthly allowances. As she shares her experiences on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, where her follower count has reached 11,000, Vilma’s journey epitomizes a growing microtrend that prioritizes a softer, more feminine lifestyle over traditional career pursuits.

This “soft girl” phenomena, which has been unfolding globally since the late 2010s, sparked particular attention in Sweden following findings from Ungdomsbarometern, the nation's largest youth survey. The survey reflects a shift in aspirations among young people, revealing that a significant portion of school-aged girls identify with this softer lifestyle.

Johanna Göransson, a key researcher at Ungdomsbarometern, emphasizes this trend as a rejection of the high-pressure “girl boss” narrative that has historically dominated mainstream culture. However, the trend has polarized opinions throughout Sweden, prompting debates across various platforms, from political panel discussions to opinion articles in major newspapers.

Prominent feminist leader Gudrun Schyman cautioned against the implications of young women depending on their partners for financial support, describing the trend as a regression in the pursuit of gender equality. She attributes part of the cultural shift to the influence of Sweden’s current right-wing coalition government and a general rise in populist sentiments across Europe.

In contrast, Denice Westerberg, representing the youth wing of the Sweden Democrats, praised the soft girl choice, supporting individual freedom to live authentically without societal pressures for career advancement. The ongoing societal discussion includes crucial factors like rising stress levels amongst the youth, with some experts, like Göransson, suggesting that this lifestyle may reflect broader work trends, including “quiet quitting,” where individuals withdraw from intense workplace expectations.

Despite Sweden's favorable work-life balance, statistics indicate that while women are often the primary caregivers within their households, they are also increasingly fatigued by job demands, leading to choices like that of Ms. Larsson. Observing the struggles faced by her mother, sister, and grandmother, she notes, “I think a lot of women feel burned out from their work.”

Peter Wickström from Sweden’s Gender Equality Agency aligns himself with the perspective that the soft girl trend is a rational response to significant societal pressures on young women. While some anticipate this movement won't impact Sweden’s economy drastically, the underlying issues of mental health and burnout are raising alarms that warrant attention from both policymakers and businesses alike.

Shoka Åhrman, an economist, echoes this sentiment by underscoring the long-term implications of reducing work participation for personal financial health, from pensions to savings. She hopes ongoing dialogue regarding the soft girl trend will initiate broader conversations about persistent structural inequalities still present in Sweden, especially concerning gender roles in the workplace. As Swedish society continues to engage with these complex issues, the rise of the soft girl trend remains a provocative symbol of shifting cultural paradigms.