No men, marriage, motherhood: Why South Korea’s ‘4B’ movement is inspiring American women

In South Korea, a growing number of young women are rejecting societal expectations of marriage, motherhood and heterosexual relationships, known as the “4B Movement” or the “4 Nos”.

The “B” is a homophone for the Korean word bi (비/非), meaning “no”, representing the movement’s four principles: bihon (no marriage), bichulsan (no childbirth), biyeonae (no dating) and bisekseu (no sex).

By refusing to marry, have children, engage in romance, or participate in sexual relationships with men, 4B feminists seek to redefine their lives outside the confines of traditional gender roles.

In the wake of the reelection of Donald Trump, there has been increased interest in the 4B movement from women in the United States.

But what is the 4B Movement, where did it come from, and how is it reshaping the feminist landscape in South Korea and beyond?

Challenges facing young women

The 4B Movement reflects a broader dissatisfaction among young South Korean women who face instability of housing, digital sexual violence, economic disparities and cultural pressures.

It emerged in the mid- to late-2010s, following a surge of interest in feminism in South Korea, and spread primarily through women’s online communities.

The roots of the 4B Movement lie in South Korea’s rapid economic transformation and the subsequent challenges it posed for younger generations of the 2000s.

For young women, economic insecurity is compounded by systemic gender inequality. South...

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