Up next in 10
Famous for shunning nearly all forms of modern technology and convenience - including electricity - the Amish community is often viewed as a quaint, peaceful enclave untouched by modern woes. But life isn’t exactly easy, especially not for Amish women, who have some of the strictest - and strangest - guidelines of all.
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Famous for shunning nearly all forms of modern technology and convenience, including electricity
0:07
the Amish community is often viewed as a quaint, peaceful enclave, untouched by modern woes
0:14
But life isn't exactly easy, especially not for Amish women, who have some of the strictest
0:20
and strangest guidelines of all. So, today we're churning up some surprising rules Amish women
0:28
are required to follow. In a world bursting with Wi-Fi signals, fast fashion, and self-driving cars
0:38
that still manage to miss obvious stop signs, the Amish stand out like a silent barn in a cacophony
0:44
of neon signs and car horns. As a result, the rules governing everyday life in an Amish community
0:51
are extremely rigid, particularly for women. If you're a girl growing up in Amish country
0:58
you essentially have a single life path already laid out for you
1:02
For Amish women, education halts after the eighth grade, leaving many of them to embark on a lifelong syllabus of domesticity
1:11
While their male counterparts might move on to careers of blacksmithing or barn raising
1:16
women's postgraduate opportunities largely involve mastering the fine art of pie crusts
1:23
and the complex calculus of balancing a household budget without electricity. For some, there's a brief detour into teaching, but only until marriage summons them to a more traditional curriculum, motherhood, and home management
1:38
It's not that Amish women lack intelligence. Far from it. Their ability to keep a household running like a Swiss clock while raising several Brady bunches is nothing short of miraculous
1:50
But the limits placed on formal education speak volumes about how the community views a woman's role
1:56
Practical, grounded, and steadfastly indoors. To outsiders, Amish marriages might appear rather
2:04
one The husband leads and the wife follows a dynamic heavily influenced by their strict adherence to religious doctrine Yet within the privacy of their homes these dynamics often shift Women often wield considerable influence over household decisions
2:22
While men are tasked with the economic heavy lifting, plowing fields, building barns, and running businesses
2:29
women's responsibilities revolve around the equally taxing job of running a home
2:35
Occasionally, women may run small enterprises, such as baking or quilting ventures
2:40
but only if their children are no longer infants demanding constant attention
2:48
The Amish bonnet is more than a headpiece. It's a declaration. It proclaims
2:54
Here stands a woman of humility and grace, unspoiled by the gaudy temptations of sequins and bedazzlers
3:02
Beneath the bonnet lies a prayer covering, which itself is a layered statement, literally and figuratively
3:09
The bonnet acts as a sort of humble exclamation point, ensuring that any notion of vanity is nipped in the butt
3:17
Or, more precisely, in the bun. These head coverings are not merely accessories, but wearable reminders of spiritual obligations
3:26
Unlike the hats of the outside world, which might sport logos, feathers, or the occasional ironic slogan
3:33
the Amish bonnet maintains a solemn, no-frills aesthetic. It is the anti-fedora
3:40
Actually, that doesn't sound so bad. The Amish community's approach to haircuts, or the lack thereof
3:51
is sort of like if the town from Footloose had outlawed supercuts. For Amish women, scissors are the enemy
3:58
And long hair is a lifelong endeavor, wound tightly into buns that rest obediently under prayer coverings
4:05
The scriptural backing for this practice is as unyielding as the hair itself
4:10
Meanwhile, Amish men's post-marriage refusal to shave their beards creates a curious symmetry
4:17
a commitment to uncut hair for one partner, and an unshorn chin for the other
4:25
Sex education is always a little awkward but in Amish communities it is a DIY affair Teenagers are expected to piece together the mysteries of reproduction through hushed conversations and conjecture
4:40
and whatever they can piece together by watching the livestock. The community's approach might best be described as hands-off
4:49
leaving young couples to fumble their way toward enlightenment after marriage. While studies have shown that a lack of education inevitably leads to early pregnancies and the
5:00
spread of sexually transmitted diseases, the tight-lipped policy about the birds and the bees
5:05
reflects a broader reluctance to engage openly with topics deemed private or potentially corrupting
5:12
Dating in the Amish community is as structured as their quilts. Physical contact before marriage
5:18
is often forbidden. Although modern influences have softened some of these restrictions
5:24
Kissing, for example, while once considered too taboo, does now happen. Occasionally, and under what one can only assume, is intense supervision
5:36
The now rare practice of bundling, wherein courting couples spend the night in the same bed
5:41
but separated by sewn sacks, is a peculiar relic of a bygone era
5:46
It's the ultimate test of restraint, and an exercise in reimagining the phrase, sleeping together
5:54
When it comes to weddings, Amish women opt for a palette that might surprise outsiders accustomed to ornate white gowns
6:04
Instead, calf-length dresses in shades of blue and indigo dominate, reflecting a practicality that pervades Amish life
6:12
These dresses are not destined to be worn once and then stored in a box or thrown into an heirloom chest
6:19
They are regularly recycled for church services and ultimately the grave. In this way, the Amish wedding dress is less a Cinderella fantasy
6:28
and more a Swiss army knife of formal wear. Often, most of the dresses, along with bridesmaids' dresses called new hawkers
6:36
are handmade, which is way more work than most bridesmaids are willing to do for your big day
6:46
The length of an Amish woman dress hem is as non as a speeding ticket While the exact length might vary by community the general rule is that dresses should extend
6:57
to at least the calf. This standard, like so many others, serves as a visible reminder of
7:03
modesty and adherence to tradition, one that is not regulated to the men of the community
7:08
with their flamboyant buttons, wild beards, and positions of power within the church
7:14
Buttons, ubiquitous in the wardrobes of the non-Amish, are surprisingly controversial in Amish circles
7:21
For women, buttons are often replaced with pins or snaps, as buttons are deemed a luxury that might lead to vanity
7:29
Men, meanwhile, are granted a pass to use buttons, albeit sparingly. You'd certainly never see anyone wearing a parade jacket
7:38
For Amish women, the phrase natural beauty isn't a marketing slogan. It's a mandate
7:48
The application of makeup, with its promises of brighter cheeks and bolder lashes
7:54
is seen as an act of vanity, incompatible with the Amish ethos of plainness
7:59
a word they consider more a badge of honor than a slight derogatory word
8:04
The result is a community where beauty standards are not dictated by the latest Instagram filters
8:09
but by a philosophy of simplicity and humility. This abstention from cosmetics also saves countless hours
8:17
time that can be better spent churning butter or raising barns. Not that it would matter if they could somehow download Instagram
8:25
because photography is all but completely forbidden. Photography, with its ability to freeze a moment in time
8:32
clashes with the Amish commitment to humility. Posing for photos is considered prideful
8:38
though candid shots might occasionally be tolerated. Others still allow themselves to
8:44
be photographed as long as their faces are blurred or out of frame. Those who don't mind
8:49
leave their faces stoic and unfazed by the cameras. The result is a near total absence of selfies
8:56
duck faces, and vacation slideshows. Although you might see the occasional shot of Ezekiel ghost riding his buggy