“If His Ballot Was Red, Let His Balls Stay Blue”: American Women’s Response to 2024 Election Results

After Trump’s return to power, there has been a concern for the future of reproductive rights in the United States. During his last term, Trump appointed Supreme Court Justice Amy Cornett Barrett, who directly influenced the decision to overturn federal abortion protections in Roe v. Wade, shifting the jurisdiction to the individual states. In this election, 10 states had abortion laws on their ballot. Since Trump’s reelection, the concern for stricter federal laws against abortion is high on list in minds of American women. Gathering on social media, there has been a consensus of joining the 4B movement in protest- a swear off any sexual or romantic relationship with men. While this might not be mainstream, it has been a prominent online discussion.

The 4B movement originated in South Korea as an empowering response to the fight for women’s rights. The term “4B” stands for the “four nos” the movement revolves around: no sex with men, no dating men, no marriage to men, and no childbirth with men. The movement started in the 2010s as a way to fight against the patriarchal demands on women to prioritise marriage and motherhood. It also stood against the intolerable amount of gender-based violence occurring in the country.

The question is whether this solidarity found in the digital world will transform into a political force. Sex strikes have been enacted in multiple countries around the world as a call to policy change. While the concept gains publicity, there is little evidence to suggest that it is successful in political influence. So far, the response to the idea has been extremely negative. A post on X by @MillerStream says “women threatening sex strikes like LMAO as if you have a say” (6/11/24). This has led to conflicted positions about whether a sex strike will ultimately cause more violence against women or if these responses only provide more reason to continue the movement. Overall, it is an uncomfortable reality women have to face.

However, isolating men could potentially drive them to more conservative beliefs. While it is not a woman’s responsibility to educate, completely shutting out all men may unintentionally alienate those who are open to evolving their views on gender equality and reproductive rights.
Therefore, while it is crucial to acknowledge personal autonomy to not engage with anyone whose morals don’t align with yours, a complete swear off all men might have different impacts than what is intended. Political change is what this movement is pushing for, but it might not be the best way to achieve it.

Words by Skylar Mullin

Cover Image Credit: Image Credit: Gilbert Mercier on Flickr