A feminist movement that originated in South Korea has received increasing interest after it was announced that Donald Trump will become the 47th president of the United States.
The 4B movement began online in 2015, growing over the years amid the #MeToo movement and the election of South Korean conservative president Yoon Suk Yeol in 2019. After Mr Trump gained victory over democratic nominee Kamala Harris in the 2024 US presidential election, the number of posts using the hashtag has reportedly spiked.
But what does the movement stand for – and why are people talking about it after Trump’s election win?
What is the 4B movement?
The philosophy of the movement revolves around the “four no’s” (”no” translates to “bi” in Korean). Bisekeu translates to no heterosexual sexual relationships, biyeonae to no dating, bihon no heterosexual marriage, and bichulsan no childbirth.
Women who follow the movement say it's a way of life that allows them to boycott a system that encourages gender inequality.
Why did the 4B movement start?
As well as a significant gender wage gap (in 2022, women were paid on average 31.2 per cent less than men for the same job, according to The Straits Times), there are numerous other reasons why South Korean women began the movement.
There has been a surge in high-profile cases of violence against women in the country in recent years. In May, a man allegedly killed his girlfriend in broad daylight when she said she wanted to break up. In March, a man stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death after she ended their relationship, while another broke into his ex’s home and strangled her.
The movement – which many women engage in anonymously – is a way to reject the patriarchal system and has been used as a reason to explain why the country’s birth rate is plummeting.
Why is the movement trending after Trump’s win?
Mr Trump won the 2024 election in a shock win against Ms Harris on Tuesday. However, his political career has been shrouded in claims of misogyny and sexual misconduct – from his “grab ‘em by the p*ssy” comment and multiple accusations of sexual misconduct to his role in overturning Roe v Wade, setting back America’s reproductive rights by decades.
On social media, women reacted to Mr Trump’s win by sharing information about the movement. “American women it’s time to learn from the Koreans and adopt the 4b movement,” one wrote. “Right now is a good time to start a 4B movement,” wrote another. “Let male loneliness actually become an epidemic since they hate women so much.”
american women it's time to learn from the koreans and adopt the 4b movement
— coleni. (@jungsooyawning) November 6, 2024
as a matter of fact women from all over the world should adopt the 4b movement
i'm so serious pic.twitter.com/WxfqxouAn1
Ladies, we need to start considering the 4B movement like the women in South Korea and give America a severely sharp birth rate decline:
— 🍒🍒🍒 (@lalisasaura) November 6, 2024
- no marriage
- no childbirth
- no dating men
- no sex with men
We can’t let these men have the last laugh… we need to bite back
President-elect Trump’s inauguration will take place on January 20, 2025.
