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If you’ve scrolled TikTok recently (and who among us has not?), you’ve probably come across the “propaganda I’m not falling for in 2025” trend. It’s all over my feeds, and I imagine it’s all over yours as well.
The trend is set to the sound of a woman speaking (“So, we had a conversation on the way home, should I stop my birth control? ‘Cause my career still feels small in the existential scheme of it all” she says). The sound tells a story of womanhood so many of us can relate to, and TikTok creators (most of whom are women) are using the trend to reflect on other messages directed towards women.
Creators are sharing video clips with text overlay that reads “propaganda I’m not falling for in 2025”, and it lists the things we've culturally normalized, at least to some degree, that women are refusing to accept.
Of course, creators' views vary here. While some say they’re not falling for things like “trad wife content” and “internalized misogyny”, others say they’re not falling for “feminism” (yes, really). But there are common threads, and this trend offers a really interesting look into what women are pushing back on — and the most common topics they’re growing frustrated with include ideas about gender, politics, and perhaps most of all, wellness.
Women aren’t falling for: Skinny supremacy
Multiple women say they’re not falling for “skinny = happy”, for example. This is such a relevant one right now, as SkinnyTok and its messaging around the value of thin bodies, the idea that anyone who doesn’t have a specific body type lacks discipline, and most of all, that having a skinny body will improve your life and make you happy.
Of course, there’s nuance here. Weight is a health metric, but it’s just one health metric, and it’s one we’ve placed way too much cultural importance on. Despite how far we’ve come in wrapping our heads around this, somehow now we’re sliding back to a really reductive way of thinking about weight.
It’s pretty clear, between the rise of Ozempic and similar drugs and the sheer volume of pro-skinny content on our feeds, that we’re heading back to a place of skinny supremacy. But if the “propaganda” trend is any indication, women aren’t having it.
Women aren’t having: ‘Preventive’ botox and fillers
At 37, I’ve never had botox or fillers, and people are always surprised when they hear that. “Don’t you want to prevent wrinkles?” they’d ask, especially when I was in my late 20s.
The narrative that botox should begin before a woman notices any wrinkles has been around for a while, but now women are claiming this as one of the things they’re not falling for.
Again, this is a nuanced topic: I believe that women are entitled to what they want with their bodies (and faces!), and I think we ought to direct our energy to the beauty standards as opposed to the women who are influenced by them. At the same time, it’s interesting to see women wake up to the idea that we don’t spend our youth fearing aging. On top of that, we’re also waking up to the idea that we’ve been duped into spending so much of our hard-earned money on chasing a beauty standard that is, frankly, unattainable.
Women aren’t falling for: Raw milk
Okay, so a lot of women are falling for this one, as evidenced by the growing popularity around raw milk consumption. But here’s the thing: Raw milk can be dangerous. According to the FDA, it can contain a variety of disease-causing pathogens — pathogens that are killed through pasteurization.
There are myths that raw milk can ‘cure’ lactose intolerance, asthma, and allergies. Some people also believe it can improve immunity, bone health, and gut health. There’s no truth to any of this, according to the FDA.
Luckily, if this TikTok trend is any indication, many women aren’t falling for all the myths around raw milk.
Women aren’t falling for: Beef tallow
Listen, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want to be walking around smelling like a burger, you know? And clearly, I’m not the only one. ‘Beef tallow’ is appearing on many women’s “propaganda I’m not falling for” lists.
Beef tallow, also known as “beef drippings”, has gained a real cult following from people who rave over its ability to moisturize their skin. They claim it's incredibly hydrating, soothing, and anti-inflammatory. But if those claims aren’t enough to sway you to apply literal cow fatty tissue to your skin? Well, you’re not alone.
Women aren’t falling for: Cottage cheese desserts
I love a good cottage cheese moment. Some good bread toasted with a good smear of full-fat cottage cheese, sliced heirloom tomato, flaky sea salt and lemon zest? A perfect summer lunch.
But I’ll admit it: Cottage cheese culture went a little too far. A cottage cheese dessert can be delightful, but dessert can also…just be dessert. It doesn’t always have to be optimized to help you hit those protein goals. So while I’m down to try a cottage cheese dessert, like a lot of women who are partaking in this trend, I’m not fully falling for the propaganda.
Women aren’t falling for: Hustle culture
Of course, this one is years in the making: We confronted all the days hustle culture was leaving women exhausted, riddled with imposter syndrome, and completely lacking work/life balance for years now.
But women are still calling this out as propaganda they’re not falling for, and it makes sense: Fully undoing the conditioning of hustle culture takes a lot of time, after all.
What the trend can tell us
Other things women aren’t falling for? Mouth tape, organic deodorant, and the Skinny Confidential are frequent mentions in this trend as well.
Of course, not all women are ‘not falling’ for the same things. Some are still fans of raw milk and beef tallow and hustle culture and all the things — we are, after all, not a monolith. But it’s interesting and eye-opening to see what women are growing tired of, and how many of those things fall under the ‘wellness fad’ umbrella.
Zara Hanawalt is a freelance journalist and mom of twins. She's written for outlets like Parents, MarieClaire, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Motherly, and many others. In her (admittedly limited!) free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, trying new restaurants, and traveling with her family.