Ashli Pollard, a 36-year-old entrepreneur, has made the personal decision to stop dating men—and she’s not alone. Since the 2024 election, more women have begun to embrace the 4B movement, which started in South Korea as a protest against misogyny and sexism.
The movement’s four tenets are simple: no dating men, no marrying men, no sex with men, and no childbirth.
Pollard has been part of the 4B movement for two years, though not for political reasons. She says she simply feels happier single than in relationships with men.
But following the election of Donald Trump, and the growing political focus on issues like abortion, the movement has found a new home in the U.S.
Some women are now encouraging others to join in as a way to protest Trump and the conservative policies that many believe threaten women’s rights.
Pollard explains that many women are frustrated by what they perceive as a lack of support from the government on issues that directly affect them. “A lot of women don’t feel taken care of by the government in their homes in many different ways.
We see Brock Turner getting let off. We see Brett Kavanaugh walking. We see Trump becoming president,” she says. “There comes a time when women start to notice all of these experiences, all of these cultural moments, and feel completely overlooked.”
The 4B movement, however, has stirred controversy. Political divides are rarely so clear-cut along gender lines. Many women oppose abortion, and many men support it. Plenty of women voted for Trump, just as many men voted for Kamala Harris.
Experts in mental health and relationships also warn against channeling political frustrations into personal relationships. What if your partner shares your values and is just as frustrated as you are?
For Pollard and other women, though, the 4B movement reflects something deeper. She recalls a comment from a woman who likened the movement to a bowl of Skittles, where one candy is poisonous.
“If you were told one of those Skittles was poisonous, would you take hours to study which one it is?” Pollard says. “No, you’d just dump out the bowl and walk away.”
For these women, the 4B movement is more than just a protest—it’s a rejection of a system that they feel has ignored or even harmed them.
What Is the 4B Movement? It’s Gaining Momentum After Trump’s Election
The 4B movement, originating from South Korea, gets its name from four Korean words that start with the letter “B”: bihon (heterosexual marriage), bichulsan (childbirth), biyeonae (dating), and bisekseu (sex). Women who join the movement commit to giving up all four with men.
Since the 2024 presidential election, the 4B movement has gained traction online, with many women expressing anger over the election results.
“We can’t let these men have the last laugh… we need to bite back,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter), receiving 470K likes. Another user shared, “If they want to take over your bodies, don’t let them have it,” while a third urged, “Don’t give in until they start listening. Then they will panic.”
Some advocates see the movement as not just about avoiding men but also supporting each other. “Seek out relationships with women, women-owned businesses, women-made media, etc.; surround yourself with women and our culture,” one user suggested.
Pollard’s Role In The 4B Movement
Ashli Pollard, who makes videos on TikTok explaining why she doesn’t date men, has noticed a surge of content promoting the 4B movement since the election.
“I saw four back-to-back videos of young women saying we have to start the 4B movement here,” she says. “4B starts today. We have to do this immediately. Men don’t look out for us, we don’t look out for them.”
Experts Weigh In on the 4B Movement
While the 4B movement has gained momentum, mental health and relationship experts are skeptical of it as a response to Trump’s election.
The Science of Rewiring Your Heart, sees a potential positive in the movement: it might encourage women to focus on self-development, personal growth, and finding the values that matter most in a partner.
However, she warns that completely swearing off relationships to make a political statement can be self-punishing.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to cut yourself off from romantic relationships or intimacy as a way to punish men or the administration,” Chan says. “It fuels the idea that because some men are harmful, all men must be.”
What Does The 4B Movement Mean For Dating Post-Election?
It’s unclear whether the 4B movement will have a lasting impact on American dating culture, but experts say the conversation sparked by the movement could lead to new dating trends.
Psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis believes the divisive election has encouraged singles to think more carefully about their values and what they want in a partner.
“It’s important that your values align,” she says. “When you have fundamental differences, it’s hard to bridge that gap.”
Chan suggests the 4B movement might also inspire people to take a more assertive approach in relationships.
“Maybe the extreme of joining the 4B movement isn’t the answer,” she says, “but for those who want long-term, committed relationships, adopting a stance that doesn’t tolerate ambiguous situationships or hookup culture can be healthy.”
Pollard’s Take On The Movement
Pollard, who has received both backlash and support for her 4B TikToks, says she’s not trying to tell every woman to forgo dating or marriage with men. Instead, she wants women to know they have options, and if they feel happier single, that’s perfectly fine.
“I had been dating, and all of these men mirrored what my married friends tell me are bad marriages,” she says. “Some of my friends have to cook and clean for their husbands, tiptoe around their emotions, and avoid discussing who they voted for.”
For Pollard, choosing to forgo dating is a personal decision, one that other women, regardless of political affiliation, are free to make.
“Marriage is not what I’m made for as a woman,” she says. “I’m made for so many other beautiful things. There are so many other deep relationships I can have.”
