Women Embracing the No Sex, Kids, Men ‘4B Movement’ After Trump’s Win

In the wake of Donald Trump’s victory, American women are joining the 4B movement and abstaining from romantic relationships with men.
The movement began in South Korea in 2019, pioneered by feminists determined to dismantle traditional expectations. Known as the 4B movement—bihon (no marriage), bichulsan (no childbirth), biyeonae (no dating), and bisekseu (no sex)—it encourages women to reclaim autonomy over their bodies and reject traditional gender norms of marriage and childbearing.
“The 4B Movement is a powerful example of women pushing back against the roles society expects them to fill,” psychologist and dating expert Leah Levi told Newsweek.
More From Newsweek Vault: Learn About the Best High-Yield Checking Accounts
The catalyst for the widespread outrage and subsequent protest was the murder of a 23-year-old woman in a Gangnam station bathroom by the hands of a man who reportedly resented women.
“That event, and the frustrating lack of accountability from authorities, pushed women to their limit,” Levi explained. “They were tired of feeling unsafe, sidelined, and undervalued—so 4B became a way to reclaim their lives on their own terms.”
More From Newsweek Vault: Online Banks vs. Traditional Banks: Learn the Differences
Now, across the North Pacific, many American women feel a similar sense of frustration following the election of Trump, whose controversial decisions and personal history have exacerbated fears around gender inequality and violence.
Newsweek reached out to the Trump campaign for comment via email outside of business hours.
Trump appointed three conservative Supreme Court judges during his prior tenure, which ultimately led to the landmark 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, ending federal protection for abortion access. Since then, 17 states have restricted or severely limited abortion access.
More From Newsweek Vault: Rates Are Still High for These High-Yield Savings Accounts
In response to growing concerns over reproductive rights, abortion was a key issue on the ballot in 10 states this year. States like South Dakota, Florida, and Nebraska voted to uphold bans or increase restrictions on abortion access, with Florida upholding a six-week deadline for pregnancy termination. Missouri, Montana, New York, Nevada, Maryland, Colorado and Arizona all voted to establish or reinforce measures for abortion rights.
For many, Trump’s legal history has further fueled female outrage, since he was found liable for sexual assault against E. Jean Carroll, an event that some say normalizes predatory behavior.
“Trump’s victory has lit a flame for a lot of women,” said Abby, a 27-year-old from Florida with the TikTok handle @rabbitsandtea. In a video with 1.7 million likes and 9.3 million views, she shared her story of breaking up with her Republican boyfriend and officially joining the 4B movement. She chose not to disclose her last name due to safety concerns since she has since received death threats online.
“I knew that my boyfriend and I didn’t exactly see eye to eye on politics, but I had no idea how bad it was until election night. He said (referring to Trump) ‘you can’t hate him for just a little sexual assault,” the artist told Newsweek.
For Abby, that comment was a stark wake-up call. “It was the horror movie ‘the call is coming from inside the house’ moment,” she explained.
Abby sees Trump’s re-election as a reminder that a significant amount American men—fathers, sons, and partners, who voted in their majority for Trump—are willing to prioritize financial concerns over women’s safety.
Other women shared their support. “So proud of you!! 4B MOVEMENT!!!” said one viewer. “To all the ladies who did this we are PROUD OF YOU!!!” said another viewer.
“I fear The Handmaid’s Tale will become our reality,” Brooke Arrington (@halloweenkween1), a 37-year-old teacher from Atlanta told Newsweek. She shared her decision to pledge allegiance to the 4B movement in a viral TikTok.
Previously intent on marriage and children, she now worries more about her personal safety and decided to cut ties with American men three months ago.
“Now, in a Trump-led country, my safety is more of a concern than ever,” she said. Arrington, who lives in Georgia where abortion is banned at six weeks except in extreme circumstances, appreciates that her choice to disengage from romantic relationships eliminates potential worries about unwanted pregnancy.
“I plan to do as much de-centering of men as possible, beyond the groundwork I have already started,” she said. “This means not appealing to the male gaze and not allowing myself to be part of a system that directly benefits men.” Arrington also noted that dating apps are particularly disheartening, as many men she’s encountered have obscured their true political beliefs to win a date.
“Even if they didn’t think their values were misogynistic or Republican, they were,” she observed. “Many identified as ‘liberal’ but were raised by Republicans and did not see me as a person.”
Gabrielle Oliver, 28, a creative advertising copywriter from Maryland, echoed this sentiment. She cut ties with dating in April after Bumble’s ad campaign suggested women should not go celibate, which sparked backlash. Oliver’s decision to forgo children has been reinforced by the election result.
She believes Kamala Harris’s loss to a “convicted felon” is down to the fact she is a Black woman in a country with racist roots, who did not want to see a woman in power.
“Thankfully I live in Maryland where we just added the right to abortion as a state constitutional right—but if Trump overrides this with a national abortion ban, then I am sure I will hear countless horror stories of women in my state with ectopic pregnancies and failed miscarriages that require abortions to survive die painfully—stories that are already happening in red states and will continue to happen there for the next four years at least,” she said.
Oliver is calling on women in conservative states to grow the movement in the United States, pointing to South Korea’s successful campaign. The country’s birth rate has since plummeted to record lows, with over 150 schools reporting no new first graders due to the declining birth rate.
“We can do the same and grow our movement even more so that people understand just how dire this predicament of inequality is,” she said.