By Jacinto Caballero-George
The 4B movement is a movement that started in South Korea supporting women’s rights. This movement started after a highly publicized murder of a young woman by a man. “B” comes from the Korean word “bi” meaning no. This movement is women saying no to having intercourse with men, giving birth, marrying men, and dating men.
Saying no to intercourse with men is a large focus because of the sexual violence many women face, not just in South Korea but around the world. A large group of women refusing to have intercourse with men is a large statement that will hopefully stick, though this can be dangerous for women depending on where they are. These women know this but continue with this movement nonetheless.
Refusing to give birth concerns the expectation of women being mothers, rebelling against the stereotype that all women want to be mothers. This could cause a decline in population, which is something that would really impact South Korea and bring a lot more attention to the problem at hand.
Not marrying men is also an expectation for women in society. The expectation that women want to get married to a man or that their life wouldn’t be complete without a husband and kids is a key point of focus. Declines in marriage has been something that the government has been worried about recently.
Refusing to date men has a more social than political impact. This is also probably one of the hardest parts of this movement to adhere to. However, if enough are able to then it would probably make the biggest splash. This part of the movement stems from the domestic violence many women in South Korea face with little support from the government.
With the recent presidential election, many women in the US are contemplating taking up the 4B movement. Though there is no telling whether or not it will actually move over to the US yet, it has been a hot topic since November.
With the simple discussion of the 4B movement moving to the US, many men have quickly proved why this movement has come to be with lots of them threatening violence, especially sexual violence to women who have expressed their interest in joining the movement.
The U.S’s contemplation of joining the 4B movement has shown why this movement is vital. The 4B movement is unique in its expression and social impact. Despite the dangers in participating, many women are still willing to fight for women’s rights and equality. If 4B does move to the U.S. it will certainly make an impact in ways most won’t be able to anticipate.
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