Hannah Neeleman Draws 23 Million Followers Into Debate Over Womanhood in Utah
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9
Hannah Neeleman Draws 23 Million Followers Into Debate Over Womanhood in Utah
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9
Summary
Midway, Utah, has become a destination tied to Ballerina Farm, the lifestyle brand built by 35-year-old Hannah Neeleman, as crowds gather around the image she projects online and in her store.
Neeleman, a Juilliard-trained former ballerina and mother of nine, turned farm life into a business and social-media persona centered on handmade food, children and a highly stylized domestic aesthetic.
That persona has made Ballerina Farm a flashpoint in a broader argument over what women should want or represent, with many of her 23 million followers reacting as much to the symbolism as to Neeleman herself.
The attention is landing in Midway, a small town known for resisting change, sharpening the contrast between its quiet setting and the national culture debate now attached to it.