Following Donald Trump’s recent victory in the 2024 presidential election, a number of women across the United States have declared a bold response: a sex strike.
As reported by The Telegraph, the strike – inspired by South Korea’s feminist 4B movement – sees women committing to four years of “no sex, no dating or marriage, and no having children with men.”
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The four years will span Trump’s next presidential run, as the women aim to use their abstention as a form of protest against what they perceive as regressive policies on women’s rights under Trump’s leadership.
The 4B movement – which stands for no marriage, no childbirth, no dating, and no sex with men – surged in visibility on platforms like TikTok after Kamala Harris’s defeat.
The video-sharing platform became the stage for impassioned pledges from American women.
@it_me_phoebe♬ original sound – Phoebe
One notable video featured a young woman announcing her decision to go celibate, urging others to delete their dating apps as a means to assert control over their own bodies. “As a woman, my bodily autonomy matters and this is my way to exercise sovereignty over that,” she stated. “So I highly encourage any other women who are single and still care about progressing women’s rights and still fighting for our bodily autonomy to do the same. Delete your dating apps.”
In another video, a woman can be seen sitting in a car while crying. “Men will always be against women,” read the caption, as she encouraged more women to join the 4B movement. “Women are just as capable to be presidents as a man.”
@purple_spxrrow Go stick your sticks somewhere else #election2024 #women #feminist #4bmovementamerica #femaleempowerment #mybodymychoice ♬ original sound – skeletons.of.july
In another video, one TikToker says that, “for the next four years I am going to abstain from sex with men”.
Another video was accompanied by the caption: “I think it’s time for American women to participate in our own 4B movement.”
The backdrop to this cultural moment is starkly divided: 55 percent of men voted for Trump, while 53 percent of women supported Harris, highlighting a gender split in the electorate, The Telegraph reports.
Trump’s campaign, recent court battles, and historic comments about women – set to the backdrop of Roe v. Wade being overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022 – has fueled a fiery debate about sexism in American politics.
Reaction videos from the 4B movement participants reflect deep frustration and a rallying cry for solidarity among women.
“If men won’t respect our bodies, they don’t get access to our bodies,” declared one participant, a sentiment echoed in many similar postings.
Florida, where abortion was a key issue in the election, was specifically mentioned as a hotspot for the movement. Earlier this week, Florida voted against overturning its six-week abortion law, Sky News reports.
@brielleybelly123 good luck charlie! #4bmovement ♬ original sound – BRIELLE♉️
“Good luck getting laid. Especially in Florida, because me and my girlies are participating in the 4B movement,” another woman shared in her video.
Originating in South Korea as a reaction to systemic violence and discrimination against women, the 4B movement has faced both support and backlash. It has drawn criticism from some men, who derogatorily refer to active participants as “kimchinyeo” or “kimchi women,” a term that stereotypes them as selfish and exploitative.
While the movement’s impact and longevity in Korea remain under debate, its principles have clearly resonated with many American women who see it as a framework for activism and personal agency in response to a political landscape they find increasingly hostile.
