The Rise of the Western 4B Movement: Redefining Boundaries in a Modern World

I've been hearing a lot about South Korea's 4B Movement, and went down the rabbit hole of doing some research. Essentially, women are just plain tired and fed up with men, so they are choosing themselves for their peace of mind by cutting off men completely. Women are boycotting romantic relationships until men (and society) change their entitled attitudes towards and about women. Women are tired of patriarchal norms, misogyny, sexism, gender violence/femicide, sexual harassment/violence, and the lack of reproductive rights. 

The movement was inspired by Cho Nam-Joo's feminist novel, Kim Ji-young, Born 1982. It focuses on a housewife and stay-at-home mother who suffers from postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter. The plot examines the sexism experienced by the main character throughout her youth. Gaining traction, the book became a bestseller internationally in 2018 and was incorporated into the South Korean feminist, #MeToo, and 4B movements. I am patiently waiting on Libby for my turn to check out and read/listen to the book (Wikipedia, 2024).

Founded by Jung Se-young and Baeck Ha-na, the movement condemns heteronormative gender roles and marriage. 

The premise of the 4B Movement is based on four guiding principles:

1. Bihon - no to heterosexual marriage
2. Bichulsan - no to childbirth
3. Biyeonae - no to dating
4. Bisekseu - no to heterosexual sexual relationships

Basically, decenter men and live your life to the fullest, focusing on familial, social, and platonic relationships/friendships.

(Credit: FACEBOOK)

This is and will continue to have a huge negative impact on South Korea's economy if women stop having children. Globally, the birth rates have been and are continuing to decline. No wonder abortions are banned, making it even harder for women to have agency over their own bodies.

With what is currently happening in the United States regarding women's reproductive rights, or should I say lack of, I'm all for this to become a global movement where women from all walks of life come together to protect each other. Men need to remove themselves from conversations and creating legislation about something they know nothing about, especially if they have no desire to educate themselves on the female body outside of sex and use it for their pleasure. This is why we need to implement co-ed sex education instead of just a quick overview of puberty and abstinence as a form of birth control. Let's not forget that it is typically a male coach who is disseminating the information. The scared straight method of "you'll get a STI" or "a pregnancy will result" isn't going to cut it. Now more than ever, our younger generations have access to the internet and friends who have access to the internet. No amount of monitoring and/or blocking sites will protect our babies from all the disgusting and dangerous things out there. Hell, our kids know more about sex than we did at their age, which also means they have access to a lot more misinformation regarding sex. It starts at home...

What are y'alls thoughts on the 4B Movement?

XOXO,

Sharon