Horror Movies and Women's Rights: A Historical Connection
Since the 1970s, horror movies have been intertwined with women's rights, as explored in Eleanor Johnson's book, Scream With Me: Horror Films & the Rise of American Feminism, 1968–1980.
Johnson, a Columbia professor, was teaching a class on horror history in 2022 when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, coincidentally following a lecture on Rosemary's Baby.
The argument that horror has undergone an "elevation" in recent years is often repeated, but film critics argue that horror has always been political.
- Get Out
- Hereditary
- The Babadook
These sophisticated films examine social and political issues through a horror lens, but the connection between horror and women's rights has been present since the 1960s.
Author's summary: Horror movies reflect women's rights issues since the 1970s.