The 4B movement, short for four Korean words meaning “no marriage, no childbirth, no dating, and no sex with men,” started in South Korea around 2015 in response to stark gender inequality. It became an offshoot of the #MeToo movement, as young South Korean women pushed back against societal expectations and high rates of violence against women. Now, with Trump’s victory renewing the conversation, some American women are finding resonance with 4B’s principles, using it as a way to prioritize their well-being and independence.
In interviews, women shared personal experiences of opting out of relationships with men as a way to reclaim agency and focus on self-care. While some see the movement as a response to systemic inequality, others, like 27-year-old Abby K. from Florida, say that the dismissive attitudes of some male partners toward Trump’s record prompted them to reconsider dating altogether. Online, discussions about 4B reveal similar sentiments among those looking for alternatives to traditional relationships and envisioning a future with fewer compromises.
While some, like Ju Hui Judy Han, a gender studies professor at UCLA, doubt 4B will gain widespread traction in the US due to cultural differences and complex gender dynamics, she hopes the movement sparks meaningful conversations about gender equality and encourages women to build solidarity globally.
