No Sex, No Dating, No Babies, No Marriage: How the 4B Movement Could Change America

[LiberalArkie]

11/16/2024 07:00 AM EST

When I sit down at a bar in Brooklyn with my cousin — a recent college grad from Korea who is visiting America for the first time — I have one burning question: How’s your love life? She keeps her ballcap pushed down low and presses her lips into a tight line.

“I’m not interested,” she says. “I just don’t trust men. You don’t know what they’re thinking these days — whether they’re one of the guys with misogynistic thoughts. It’s so normalized. Why would I even risk it?” she says.

She does not want to date. She feels no need to get married. Her ideal life is to form a tight-knit community with other single women. “It’s not just me,” she says. “All my friends rarely date these days for that reason. These issues are all we talk about when we get together.”

My cousin and her friends are not alone. Across Korea, young women are swearing off men, influenced by the 4B movement, a radical feminist campaign that originated in Korea in the late 2010s. The four Bs stand for bi-hon (no marriage), bi-yeonae (no dating), bi-chulsan (no birthing) and bi-sex (no sex).

Snip

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/11/16/4b-movement-america-political-protest-00189314

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Perhaps I misread some articles but I thought some sort of thing like this was going on here too, kind of a backlash

to those that voted for tRUMP? I'm already boycotting all high dollar ticket items, I will not help tRUMP one iota. Not one red cent, not one bit. We have yet to see the trash that is coming from these thugs, so hang onto your hats or whatever, for it won't be fun. I've been hearing of stories where people voted for tRUMP and then when they find out what tRUMP is actually going to do, well, they are 'very disappointed'. Idiots. Just plain stupid and idiotic.

[peggysue2]

19. You and I must have read the same article(s)

Could have sworn I'd read something very similar happening with young American women connected to the now high-risk of pregnancy with the refusal of using conventional medical interventions when things go wrong. Frankly, I think I'd be terrified if I were in my child-bearing years. These stories of women bleeding out during miscarriage or dying of sepsis are horrific. And yes, there was the insinuation that if men believe women are disposable, then they can forget about having sex altogether.

This is where we're at: the Lysistrata resistance. Everything old is new again!

[2naSalit]

2. That should happen here.

[MineralMan]

3. It's a potentially significant movement, but only

if it is widely adopted. Here in the USA, though, I don't see that happening, really. I don't know enough about Korea to know if it is a widespread thing there.

[DeepWinter]

4. Every woman

I've mentioned the 4B to has laughed. The man they are with has already been vetted and loved. Who's excluded? Guys who never had a chance to begin with.

[Igel]

22. Except it's being promoted by women.

Unless we suddenly have a large important class of incel women.

Otherwise, if widely adopted, it would sort of accomplish the purpose of abortion restrictions even in states with no abortion restrictions. I find that mildly amusing.

[Jk23]

24. The fact it is being promoted by woman does not make it any less silly.

In reality, it really sounds like sour grapes Incel talk. Most people go on with thier lives and relationships. Not every act is a political act. Abortion is decriminalized in South Korea as of 2021 so I don't think that is the issue. I think it may be an issue with some South Korean men not masking the grade, however.

And I certainly understand how some woman in the states would have issues with American Men. I agree there are not enough good ones to go around. But still, the answer is not to give up. It is to go out there and stake your claim.

[maxsolomon]

6. My stepdaughter's been living the 4Bs for years.

Why? We don't really know, other than her disdain for "tech bros" after living in SF. She had a BF, they broke up; she hasn't been on a date since. She hangs around gay men.

“I just don’t trust men. You don’t know what they’re thinking these days — whether they’re one of the guys with misogynistic thoughts."

Sad to say, ALL men have misogynist thoughts, just like all women have misandronist thoughts (DU provides plenty of evidence of that). Sure, some men are complete assholes to women - that's not remotely a new thing.

What's new? Social Media, where young men advertise the misogynistic thoughts they should keep to themselves.

[Irish_Dem]

12. Women have been property or second class citizens for most of human history.

Asian women are treated very poorly.

To equate men's and women's as the same, their experiences as the same is
100% wrong.

[maxsolomon]

14. I don't believe I did that.

But I'm not surprised you think I'm "100% wrong".

To clarify: you think that men's and women's experiences have NO equivalencies. NONE. ZERO percent.

[Irish_Dem]

15. You are way off base. Trying to mansplain the female condition.

And you are 100% wrong in your interpretation of my comments.

If you have to lie, you have no argument.

[maxsolomon]

16. I didn't lie. I'm asking you to clarify what you meant.

Someone already alerted on the poster who agreed with me.

Maybe you should block me at this point.

[Igel]

23. It's a bit differently slanted in the US.

It mostly appears to me to be, "You'll conform to my expectations or else nothing's happening."

Back in the '80s when memes and funnies were handed among office employees by means of photocopies and spread in print shops and office supply stores, there was one where a young woman was saying she'd met the perfect man for her. "Oh, really!" her girlfriend said. "Well, he will be when I'm done training him." The women in the office thought it hilarious but couldn't figure out why the men didn't.

Then again when the choir director cracked a joke that was rather demeaning to women and most of the men laughed, the women were upset. And didn't talk to me for a while when I quipped, when they were complaining about the others when I was the sole XY person in the room, "What's good for the goose is good for the gander."

[demmiblue]

13. ...

[EdmondDantes_]

25. I think we went through a period where there was more concern

But these days with the popularity of Joe Rogan, Andrew Tate etc among young men, it's a bigger problem because women now expect better. Our society will be worse off if more men don't adapt. Partially because a larger percentage of unmarried men is bad for society in terms of crime and violence, but if the people most likely to have multiple children are regressive in their views on women, that's a self perpetuating cycle.

[DiverDave]

7. The post in x

Is gone...hmmm

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. lol I'll believe it when I see it

[LudwigPastorius]

10. Re: No Babies

That's OK. Elon Musk and the Duggars are taking up the slack.

[Hassler]

11. Historical perspective might suggest the Beguinels

Of Flanders as a model

[msfiddlestix]

17. hmm. maybe. it's not a change I'd be too concerned about though the flip side to that trend would only

effectively render a minority population which translates to a minority electorate, which would be a resounding plus for the fascists right wing maggots .

[BigmanPigman]

18. I thought I heard Bill Maher bring something similar

up on his show the other week.....


https://www.thewrap.com/bill-maher-women-denying-men-sex-first-time-progressives-turned-something-blue/

[endless summer]

20. Consider the times

Honestly I am relieved that my youngest daughter and daughters-in-law are done having children. With abortion access and a nationwide ban on abortion hanging over women’s heads a pregnancy could result in death. I know that I wouldn’t take the risk.
Then there is my eldest daughter who is single and in her late 30s, so far many of the available men in her age group are divorced and come with emotional baggage OR they have other serious issues. I feel sad for her because she wants a relationship and a family. But this election made it abundantly clear that misogyny is alive and well, so unless or until a man worthy of her comes along I hope she steers clear of men.

[thebigidea]

21. pretty delusional stuff, even for Politico

[viva la]

26. I've got several young friends who are doing this informally-

They just don't see the point of dating men.

Sorry, guys.