What is it? The 4B movement emerged in South Korea as a bold feminist stance to avoid interactions with men, driven by the country’s patriarchal structure. And what does 4B signify? 4B represents the four “B”s or “Nos” in Korean: “bisekseu” (no sex with men), “biyeonae” (no dating men), “bihon” (no marrying men), and “bichulsan” (no having children). Where did this concept originate? It’s actually an ancient idea for women to distance themselves from men as a method to challenge their behavior. One of the earliest examples is Aristophanes’ ancient Greek comedy ‘Lysistrata’, performed in 411 BC, where Greek women withhold sex to compel men to end the Peloponnesian War. How did the movement gain traction in South Korea? It began around 2016 with the Escape the Corset movement, a social media-driven initiative where South Korean women shared how societal norms imposed on women fostered a misogynistic environment. The 4B movement intensified the following year as South Korean women spoke out about their experiences of abuse during the #MeToo movement. If the 4B movement started in 2016, why is it trending now? The answer lies with Donald Trump. Following the 2024 presidential election results, Google searches for the movement surged by 450%, with 200,000 people inquiring about it on Wednesday. What’s the link? President-elect Trump and the Republican Party have overtly expressed their stance on women’s rights. It was due to Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justices that Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, stripping abortion of its federal protection. Restricting women’s access to abortion is a key part of his agenda. On a broader scale, Trump’s election validates a man accused by numerous women of sexual assault, who was found liable for sexual abuse and paid $80 million (€74 million) in damages to a victim. The election results also reveal that Trump’s attitude towards women is mirrored by many American men. Whether this is a direct result of Trump’s influence or a cultural shift, young men are increasingly influenced by misogynistic figures like Andrew Tate and Joe Rogan. One notable example of this culture is a tweet by Jon Miller on Wednesday stating “women threatening sex strikes like LMAO as if you have a say”, which has garnered over 50 million views and 17,000 likes. Will the 4B movement succeed? It depends on what you mean by “succeed”. It’s not going to eliminate all interactions between women and men in the US. There’s not a significant gap in how women voted between the two candidates. 43% of women aged 18-44 voted for Trump. Surprisingly, 53% of white women supported him over 46% for Kamala Harris. So, is it futile? Not necessarily. While widespread heterosexual abstinence isn’t likely, the 4B movement can still make an impact. Its rapid takeover of social media and the emergence of articles like this indicate a cultural effect. While only a minority of women might fully adopt the movement’s principles, the majority use it as a conversation starter to address deep-seated misogyny. Even the mere threat of the movement has agitated many Trump supporters. As more women express their dissatisfaction with men’s behavior, it might catalyze some form of change.
Source link: https://www.euronews.com
