For most, this year’s election marked a battle for dominance in how American politicians will tackle subjects like inflation, gun control, and climate change. However, most women, including myself, were primarily concerned for women’s reproductive rights. After the repeal of Roe v. Wade in 2022 under a conservative-leaning Supreme Court, 18 states enacted total or extremely restrictive abortion bans.
Since then, the fight for a reinstatement of a national protection of reproductive rights has been at the forefront of women’s minds. After the results of Tuesday’s election, the future of women’s rights over their bodies seems bleak. Thankfully, there may be a solution for women to band together and demand bodily autonomy.
What is the 4B Movement?
Originating in South Korea, the 4B Movement is a “radical feminist” movement that calls for women to abstain from sex, marriage, dating, and giving birth. The name of the movement stems from all of these key components starting with the letter B in the Korean language. South Korean women began participating in 4B to criticize and demolish traditional gender roles in their country, tired of the patriarchal structure of South Korea, which praises women for their beauty and ability to carry children for the future of the nation.
The movement gained attention on Twitter in 2019 but only really circulated through international feminist circles.
What does Reproductive Freedom Look Like Now?
Like many American women, I woke up the morning after election day feeling defeated. Not only did the candidate prioritizing reproduction rights lose, but the proposed Florida amendment to extend abortion rights lost. Even worse, it lost by three percent of the vote.
It’s important to acknowledge that there were some wins for reproductive rights on Tuesday. New York, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Colorado, Nevada, and Arizona all voted in favor of laws to expand or enshrine reproductive rights. However, women and their rights are still under threat for the foreseeable future.
Although Trump claims he will not sign a national abortion ban into place, The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, an extensive plan of political policies to put into place following Trump’s inauguration, calls for extreme anti-abortion policies. Some of these include ending medication abortion, allowing hospitals to deny treatment to patients seeking a life-saving abortion, and prosecuting people who ship or transport abortion pills and supplies.
How American Women Would Benefit from the 4B Movement
American women are feeling the threat of a Trump reelection and Republican majority in the Senate and House of Representatives. On TikTok, women are recruiting each other to adopt the 4B Movement as an act of protest. If the federal and state governments won’t protect women’s rights to their own bodies, women will adapt their lifestyles to accommodate “radical and feminist” ideas in order to protect themselves.
While women in supportive and loving relationships are not expected to break up with their significant others, they are called to hold their partners accountable for supporting women.
The goal of the 4B Movement in the United States would be to prove to politicians and other American citizens just how serious women are about their reproductive rights. Despite the inherent patriarchal structure of America, women truly hold the power. Women are needed to populate this country, and the U.S. cannot continue to exist without us.
Although things have been hard over the past few days, there are solutions and paths to move forward. Stand strong, encourage the women around you, and continue to speak up.
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