Following the re-election of Donald Trump, American women are showing increased interest in a feminist movement known as the 4B movement. This movement originated in South Korea as a protest against misogyny and advocates for the abstention from heterosexual marriage, sex, childbirth, and dating.
The 4B movement is believed to have started around 2017 and gained momentum in 2018 amid protests against a spy cam epidemic in South Korea. Interestingly, after the re-election of Donald Trump, Google searches for “4B” in the U.S. surged by 450 per cent, with the highest interest coming from Washington D.C., Colorado, Vermont, and Minnesota.
The 4B movement is based on four Korean words that start with “bi” or “no” in English. These words are bihon (no heterosexual marriage), bichulsan (no childbirth), biyeonae (no dating), and bisekseu (no heterosexual sexual relationships). Supporters of the movement may choose to abstain from dating, marriage, having children or sex, as a form of protest against gender inequality.
With the rise of the movement in the U.S., hundreds of videos have been uploaded on TikTok by U.S. content creators, expressing their disappointment in the election results and their intention to join the 4B movement.
The 4B movement was initially a response to revenge porn and spy cams targeting South Korean women but has since evolved to address other issues such as access to abortion, quality healthcare, the gender pay gap, and intimate partner violence.
The movement has faced backlash in South Korea, with participants experiencing harassment, stalking, cyberbullying, and threats of violence. Despite this, it continues to grow, with its influence now seen in the U.S. following the re-election of Donald Trump.
While the interest in the 4B movement in the U.S. has grown due to women’s rights being under threat, experts warn that this could further divide men and women, leading to a potentially more misogynistic culture. The movement’s future in the U.S. remains to be seen, as cultural differences could shape its trajectory.
