Korean women started a movement; if Americans were smart, they’d pay attention.
The 4B movement shows society just how valuable women are.
What is the 4B Movement?
The 4B movement is a Korean feminist movement. In response to South Korea’s oppressive patriarchal system, women opt out of the “four bs”: bihon, bichulsan, biyeonae, and bisekseu.
And the world is paying attention.
No Marriage (bihon)
The first “b” stands for marriage.
Women partaking in the 4B movement refuse to wed. They see marriage for what it is – an oppressive system trapping women in domestic servitude.
No Children (bichulsan)
Korean women decided they no longer desired to be breed mares for the state. The second “b” stands for a refusal to bear children.
It’s not that they don’t want to have kids (though a lot of younger people around the world have decided they’d rather be child free). It’s the fact that society makes motherhood so oppressive.
No Dating (biyeonae)
Korean women aren’t just opting out of marriage. They aren’t dating men at all.
They don’t want to be tied down by a man in anyway. However, some adherents to the 4B movement are dating, they’re just dating each other instead of dating men.
No Relations (bisekseu)
The final “b” is a refusal to engage in heterosexual relations. Korean women are tired of giving their bodies to men who seek to oppress them.
Just Say No To Men
Korean women looked at Korean men and decided en masse that they weren’t worth the effort.
The 4B movement is about rejecting men and everything they offer – marriage, kids, and relationships.
What Are the Women Doing?
Women who opt into the 4B movement aren’t sad spinsters, nor are they man haters. They’re simply living their lives the way they want to.
They don’t want to include men in their lives. They’re living their best lives without them.
Why Women Love 4B
South Korea has one of the worst ratings for gender equality in the developed world, ranking 99 out of 146 countries. Entrenched beliefs about gender roles have Korean women doing the bulk of the domestic labor and child-rearing when married, making it difficult for them to achieve career advancement.
More and more women are discovering that life is easier when they opt out of relationships with men. They get to live their lives for themselves, pursue their own goals, and get the taste of freedom that men have enjoyed for centuries.
How 4B is Changing Korea
The effects of the nascent 4B movement are yet to be determined.
Korea is already seeing a drop in marriage and birth rates, but whether that’s due to the 4B movement or broader global trends is difficult to determine. However, we are seeing a lot of misogyny coming out of Korea. Some of the most terrible, anti-women content I see hails from Southeastern Asia (not just Korea though – I see a lot from India too!). Unfortunately I see a lot of it right here at home in America too though.
4B Gaining Traction Around the World
The 4B movement is gaining steam worldwide, as more and more women realize they’re no longer tied to societal norms and have the freedom to forge their own paths.
Some potential long-term consequences may include a reduced birth rate and an increase in angry young men who turn violent when they can’t find companionship.
What Americans Must Learn from 4B
Although gender inequality in Korea is far worse than in America, many of the same systems hold true. American women work a double shift while American men relax. As primary parents, women lose out on career opportunities and promotions. They put careers on hold to raise kids, hoping their husbands won’t divorce them and leave them destitute.
More and more American women are also realizing that marriage and kids aren’t worth the cost, and some may follow their Korean counterpart’s lead in opting out altogether.
Preventing 4B in America
To prevent a similar movement, America must fix its misogyny problem.
Culture needs to shift to reflect relationships as an equal partnership rather than a system where men benefit from women’s labor. Work culture needs to drastically change to support motherhood rather than punish it.
Women worldwide are shaking off the shackles of oppressive patriarchal systems, and if society doesn’t keep up, it will be left behind.
Women Are Leaving Their Husbands In Droves
Is the 4B movement already starting in America? The increase in Walkaway wives might point towards yes.
American women may not have realized how bad marriage was before tying the knot, but many of them are leaving their husbands in droves. And younger woman are much more likely to say they don’t ever want to get married.
Maybe we can fix our misogyny problem and improve society before it gets any worse.