What’s the Linewives and Bucket Bunnies drama on TikTok?

TikTok is a fascinating platform packed with unique and varied subcultures. In fact, it is often all too easy to stumble on a video that uses jargon from a subculture you don’t know, leaving you confused and bewildered. And currently, many people on TikTok are spotting the terms “Linewives” and “Bucket Bunnies” on their homepage and are wondering just what these terms mean. And they’re also wondering why there is drama between these groups. 

What are Linewives and Bucket Bunnies?

Both of these terms come from the lineworkers’ community. Lineworkers are the people who build, maintain, and repair powerlines and their related infrastructure, including the towers. Unlike electricians, who operate on power infrastructure inside buildings, lineworkers are the ones who deal with outdoor power infrastructure. 

“Linewives” is a slang term for those in a long-term relationship with a lineworker. Usually, the name is reserved for those married to a lineworker, though some may use the title despite not being married. The nature of line work means that it isn’t uncommon for a worker to be away from their family for weeks or months. Linewife communities were formed so that linewives could offer each other support and help each other through these periods, much like the support communities for military wives and other professions that force someone to be away from home for long periods. 

“Bucket Bunnies”, on the other hand, are people who engage in short-term romantic or sexual relations with lineworkers, especially those who are already married. The name is often used as an insult rather than being self-applied. So Bucket Bunnies are not a community in the traditional sense.

The “bucket” part of the name refers to the elevating work platform or cherry picker that lineworkers use to reach high wires. As the elevating part of these vehicles are bucket-shaped, they’re often called bucket trucks. In the simplest terms, “Bucket Bunny” is the lineworker equivalent of the musician’s groupie stereotype.

Why is this drama all over TikTok?

While these two groups have never been friendly, the recent uptick in drama is because of Hurricane Ian. This massive hurricane caused lots of damage in Florida, and many lineworkers have been sent to the state to help repair the damage and restore power to the affected communities. 

Because of this, many linewives have been posting, offering, and seeking support, as many don’t know when their partner will be heading home. Forcing them to quickly adapt to being on their own and, in many cases, single parenting. Of course, this increased focus has led to more people noticing the ongoing drama between the Linewives and the Bucket Bunnies.

The most viral thread of this drama began when the user @emilyhosein1 posted a video showing screenshots of her Tinder. Many of the profile pictures she shows are of linesmen, many of whom are likely in the area to repair the power infrastructure.

Some in the linewife community called @emilyhosein1 a Bucket Bunny. This, plus several videos showing people fawning over the various lineworkers in the state, led to many Linewives taking to TikTok to post about the reality of being a linewife, leading to this drama quickly spreading across the internet and the terms becoming more known.