In the wake of President-elect Donald Trump‘s decisive victory in the 2024 election, some left-leaning women have taken to social media to express their discontent in a highly visible and dramatic way—by shaving their heads. These videos, which have garnered attention across platforms like TikTok, depict women cutting off their hair as an act of protest against what they describe as the “patriarchy.” However, many are questioning the logic behind these actions, especially given that millions of American women voted for Trump and that these protests don’t seem to directly address any specific policy concerns.
In one widely shared video, a woman in a purple shirt explains that she is “giving up on America” while shaving the side of her head. The woman, in a visibly emotional state, expresses her frustration with traditional beauty standards, which she believes are dictated by the “patriarchy.” “F**k coloring our hair. F**k having my hair be long and luxurious. F**k all that shit,” she says in the video, clearly upset. Her rant extends to rejecting societal expectations related to body image, including being thin or “hot,” accusing the patriarchy of caring little about women’s autonomy.
Feminists,
Please shave your heads like this one so we know who you are. Fight the patriarchal beauty standard by smelling bad, growing leg hair, and refraining from brushing your teeth! Do it!— Michael (@MikesUsername77) November 6, 2024
The video ends with the woman declaring that she won’t be speaking to men, an apparent vow of celibacy or withdrawal from heterosexual relationships, which she connects to her broader protest of male-dominated societal structures.
In a subsequent statement, she mentions promoting the “4B movement,” which, according to Sky News, originated in South Korea. This movement encourages women to sever sexual relationships with men as an act of defiance against perceived misogyny and oppression. Some American women are suggesting they will join the movement as a form of punishment against men and, by extension, American society itself.
Millions of liberal women are shaving their heads to protest Donald Trump.
What exactly does this accomplish? pic.twitter.com/e4UHXbSwH7
— American AF 🇺🇸 (@iAnonPatriot) November 7, 2024
Shaving their heads is a symbolic act—one that strips away external markers of femininity and beauty as an assertion of individual autonomy. However, there are several contradictions and unanswered questions surrounding this protest.
While the act of shaving one’s head may seem like a bold and meaningful gesture, it’s unclear how it addresses the specific concerns these women have about their rights under a Trump administration. Trump’s presidency, for example, did not result in the widespread rollback of women’s rights or access to healthcare—issues that some protesters have cited as a reason for their dissatisfaction. Moreover, many of the women expressing frustration seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of how gender dynamics and feminism operate in a broader context, particularly in a diverse, multi-issue political landscape.
The reaction from social media users has been a mix of confusion, humor, and criticism. Some commenters joked that Trump has “single-handedly solved the abortion problem,” referencing the protesters’ statements about rejecting men and embracing celibacy. Others questioned how shaving their heads could be an effective way to “punish” the patriarchy, given that many women across America continue to support Trump’s policies.
Rather than engaging in constructive political discourse or activism, critics argue that such symbolic gestures might actually reinforce the very gender stereotypes they aim to dismantle.
At its core, the head-shaving protest appears to be a symbolic act driven more by personal frustration than a strategic attempt to influence political change. While it may resonate with certain groups on the left, it’s unlikely to have any lasting effect on the broader political landscape.
This article originally appeared on American Liberty News. It is republished with permission.
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