The Blue Friendship Bracelet TikTok trend emerged as a response to Vice President Kamala Harris' loss in the 2024 presidential election. The trend calls on progressive women to wear blue bracelets as a signal that they are not Donald Trump supporters and are, therefore, an ally and safe space.
What is the Blue Friendship Bracelet Movement and TikTok trend?
Inspired by the success of the bracelets made during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, the previous Women's March on Washington, and the Safety Pin Movement of 2020 (where women wore safety pins to show resistance to Trump's election and solidarity with one another), women on TikTok began the Blue Friendship Bracelet Movement after Donald Trump's win in the 2024 presidential election. The trend sees women sharing videos making, wearing, sharing, and explaining the blue bracelets.
Emotions in these TikToks range from anger to sadness to stoicism.
What does the blue friendship bracelet mean?
Wearing a blue friendship bracelet means you are against Trump's presidency and did not vote for him. According to the trend, a blue bracelet (however loud or understated) is a great way to say "I'm angry at this electoral outcome," "I'm not one of them (Trump supporter)" and largely, "I'm a safe space."
Who is wearing the blue friendship bracelets?
Anyone can wear a blue friendship bracelet, though many of the TikTokers who are partaking in this trend are Swifties who backed Kamala Harris' presidency. Along with Taylor Swift fans, many of the leaders in this trend were/are white women, who want to show others (especially LGBTQ+, POC, disabled, immigrants, and other marginalized communities) that they are not the enemy: a "Karen" or a Trump supporter.
TikToker and Taylor Swift fan @libbyraelou shared the earliest known post about the movement on Wednesday, Nov. 6. In the viral TikTok post she asked, "Fellow white women, how are we signaling to each other now which side we are on?" Suggesting those against Trump's election should wear blue bracelets to subtly let women and POC know that they are, in fact, an ally.
Before there were blue friendship bracelets, there were Safety Pins
The Blue Friendship Bracelet movement looks similar to the Safety Pin Movement of 2016, another reactionary, accessory-based trend led by those outraged at the results of the 2016 presidential election. In this earlier movement, people (primarily women) wore a safety pin to show concern and alignment with progressive values.
What does the Blue Friendship Bracelet Movement have to do with the 4B Movement?
Unlike the Safety Pin Movement, the Blue Friendship Bracelet trend has significant overlap with the '4B Movement," a 2019 feminist initiative that first originated in South Korea as a response to the unrealistic standards placed on Korean women.
The '4B' movement roughly translates to '4 Nos:' no sex with men (bisekseu), no giving birth (bichulsan), no dating men (biyeonae) and no marrying men (bihon). Discouragement with men's support of Trump post-election brought the 4B TikTok community to the forefront.
Many women participating in the Blue Friendship Bracelet trend have found and advocated for the 4B movement, merging the two ideologies to create a progressive, womxn-focused way forward.
Criticism of the Blue Friendship Bracelet Movement
Almost as soon as the Blue Friendship Bracelet trend emerged, so did its dissenters.
For many, wearing a blue bracelet seemed performative and self-centered, a way specifically for white women to feel better about themselves and not do the necessary actions or work needed to make lasting political change.
Others have whiplash, thinking back to the unsuccessful (and even somewhat cringe) reactionary efforts of the past, including the Pink P*ssy Hat trend of 2016.
More TikTok trends and memes:
- Disturbing ‘Time Travelers Interrupting’ memes are freaking TikTok out
- What does ‘Face Card Never Declines’ mean?
- What is an Emerald Birthday? A Golden Birthday? A Crown Birthday?
- The ‘Suspect Challenge’ provides hilarious police descriptions and absolute relationship chaos
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