"Your body, my choice", the 4B movement and the Gen Z gender gap that's turned into a chasm
That plummeting birth rate is about to plummet some more
Heading into the U.S. election we knew that young people’s political views were divided along gender lines. Gen Z women are the most progressive group in America, while their male counterparts lean right.
Exit poll data from Tuesday’s contest confirmed the split with 61 per cent of women aged 18-29 voting for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris compared with just 47 per cent of men. But it’s in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s victory for the Republicans where that gender gap has grown into a massive breach.
Young women have taken to social platforms to express their rage, with some blaming men for Trump’s win. Their disgust, and concern about further restrictions to their reproductive rights, is leading some to say that they’re deleting dating apps, won’t date anyone who voted for Trump and joining the 4B movement which sees followers refuse to date men, have sex, get married or have children.
Their fury has been further fuelled by right wing misogynists who have since bombarded their comments with the taunt “Your Body, My Choice”. The expression, which subverts the feminist slogan “My Body, My Choice”, has been popularised this week after white supremacist Nick Fuentes used the phrase on Twitter/X and during a livestream.
TikToker Hannah Cor complied some of the menacing comments she’d received and seen on other posts here and here. Meanwhile others have reported that the phrase is also being used to taunt kids in school.
With the genders this far apart before Trump even takes office it’s hard to imagine how divided they’ll be come 2028. The perilously low birth rate certainly isn’t about to rise anytime soon.
This week I’ve been…
OBSESSED WITH:
The soft launch of 13-year-old Harper Beckham’s influencing career on mum Victoria’s TikTok
WONDERING WHEN: We agreed that Christmas would last two whole months
highly flammable is produced and written by Rachel Richardson
She’s a content creator, commentator and consultant at Beginning, Middle and End
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Email rr@bmend.com