Is a 4B Movement Feasible—or Even Reasonable—In the US?

Suggestions on how to prepare for a second Trump presidency.

By Carolyn Gevinski

Since former President Donald Trump won a second term as president, there has been a surge in discourse among young women about starting a version of the 4B movement—a Korean voluntary celibacy movement—here in the US.

One TikToker explained that she’s been voluntarily celibate for several years and believes 4B can help women reclaim their power. “Once you can get out out of your mind that you will not be missing out by engaging in this behavior [dating men], you will be better off.”

The creator went on to encourage women who date men to have internal conversations with themselves on “whether or not being around men in a romantic way at this moment in time is worth it.”

Many of the women proposing a 4B movement across social media have cited fears that a twice-impeached, convicted felon who has taken credit for the elimination of Roe v. Wade leading our country again will embolden young men to commit violence against women. Far-right social media users have retaliated by commenting the words, “your body, my choice,” on women’s posts.

The “your body, my choice,” comments began after Nick Fuentes, a 26-year-old MAGA influencer, went on a viral misogynistic rant on YouTube following the election, practically spitting, “Hey b—h, we control your bodies! Guess what? Guys win again. Okay? Men win again,” and then continuing, “We will keep you down forever. You will never control your own bodies.”

Other young men have taken to social media, saying that their latest dating “hack” is to tell women that they “aren’t political,” and lie about their right-wing status so that liberal women will still date them.

As a result, women, who have decided to prioritize their autonomy in the face of the impending epidemic of male violence, have turned to the 4B movement. So what exactly is the 4B movement? And what are some of the pros and cons of tapping in?

The four Bs each stand for different words, almost like the four “rules” of the movement:

Bihon - the refusal of heterosexual marriage.

Bichulsan- the refusal of childbirth.

Biyeonae- the refusal of romance.

Bisekseu- the refusal of sexual relationships.

The 4B movement arose in South Korea in the 2010s in response to pro-childbearing changes in government. To promote autonomy over their bodies, women and people with uteruses created a fringe movement by practicing celibacy. But for 4B followers, voluntary celibacy wasn’t necessarily seen as “restriction,” or “abstinence,” in the way the Western world understands those concepts. It was also developed as a forum for self-help discussions and orienting women toward their individual futures.

4B has faced criticism from intersectional feminists for its acute focus on heterosexual relationships and exclusion of LGBTQ+ identities. In treating heterosexuality as an incurable affliction to which the only solution is abstaining from it entirely, other identities are treated as “ideal” at a time when they’re under attack. This is not only inconsiderate, but also diminishes the threats queer people face under a new presidency. In his plans for a second term, Trump has said he will outlaw gender-affirming care for minors at the federal level, according to a section on his website entitled Agenda 47. Trump’s plan on this webpage also includes promoting “positive education about the nuclear family, the roles of mothers and fathers.”

Justified fury across social media has ruptured into a chaotic mess of fringe movements that could potentially further fracture liberal Americans. Gay men are saying that they’re done with DL (closeted) men. White women are wearing blue bracelets to signal that they’re “safe” to be around. Black women have responded with criticism about blue bracelets as a performative gesture. There’s been talk of lavender marriages. Some lesbians are fending off threats of 4B turning into another similar type of movement from the 70s called “political lesbianism,” saying that their sexuality is not an item of clothing to be taken off and put back on.

Women across social media have also pointed to the more obvious problem—would a sex strike even work in a country where 53% of white women voted for Trump?

For some women who view 4B as an individual choice, or an autonomy-promoting boundary for themselves, perhaps the idea behind the movement will prove helpful.

But if 4B is not for you, here are some actions you can take to build community, at a time when organization and activism is more vital than ever.

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