The 2024 US election has felt like a gut punch to many American women, and some are swearing off men, saying Donald Trump’s return to power could be devastating to reproductive rights — particularly access to abortion. Many women on social media say they’re tired of waiting to see what the future holds for their own bodily autonomy and can’t imagine dating men, so they decided to bring the 4B movement to the US. Read also | After being asked about abortion, Donald Trump cut off a reporter: “Stop talking about it”
But what is the 4B movement, and why are American women turning to it in the face of the incoming Trump administration allegedly seeking to strip them of their reproductive freedom?
What is the 4B movement?
Over the past few years, South Korean women have taken a new approach to protesting the patriarchy, ceasing to be active participants in the system. Some South Korean women no longer engage in heterosexual relationships in response to issues such as revenge porn, gender-based violence and femicide. Unable to communicate with men, these women emphasize that if the violence against them does not stop, the 4B movement will ensure that the birth rate will continue to decline and the population will slowly die out as a result.
According to a recent report by The Washington Post, the ideology of the 4B movement is based on four simple rules that begin with “bi,” which means “no” in Korean:
◉ Biyeonae: Not dating men
◉ Bisexual: No sex with men
◉ Bihon: No marriage
◉ Bichulson: no child rearing
According to The Washington Post, the 4B movement began in response to the high rate of violence against women, including the 2016 killing of a young woman in a public toilet in Seoul. The movement has grown since the mid-2010s, mostly online on TikTok and Instagram, with women pledging to end personal romantic relationships with men.
What do women say in the United States?
As women’s bodies are constantly policed and politicized, the bold 4B movement may be just what they need to create meaningful change in the US, according to various women who are asking others to boycott men entirely because of the country’s gender inequality.
“Ladies, we need to start treating the 4B movement like women in South Korea and give America a serious birth-decline: no marriage, no childbirth, no dating men, no sex with men. We can’t let these men have the last laugh… we have to bite back,” X user @lalisasaura tweeted on Wednesday, which has now garnered more than 469,000 likes, 75,000 retweets and 19.9 million views.
Many responded to her tweet. One said, “If South Korean women can do it successfully, it’s not impossible!!!!!!” Another tweeted: “It’s a bold move but women taking back control can send a powerful message.” A third person tweeted: “I’m a man and totally agree with this.”
Some, however, were concerned that such a move could lead to unprecedented consequences, as “Trump’s election has proven that misogyny and misogyny are deeply woven into the fabric of our society.”
In another widely shared tweet, X user @solitasims wrote: “Ladies, I’m so sad (truly) saying this, it’s time to close your wombs to men. This election proves more than ever that they hate us and hate us with pride. Someone also tweeted: “For those still wondering what the 4B movement is: no dating, no sex, no kids, no marriage.”
