Horror Movies and Women's Rights: A Longstanding Connection
Since the 1970s, horror movies and women's rights have been closely intertwined, with many films examining social and political issues through a spooky lens.
A new book, Scream With Me: Horror Films & the Rise of American Feminism, 1968–1980, by Eleanor Johnson, explores this connection. Johnson, a Columbia professor, was inspired to write the book after teaching a class on the history of horror in 2022, coinciding with the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v.
The Columbia professor was teaching a class on the history of horror in 2022 when the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v.
Notable horror films like Get Out, Hereditary, and The Babadook have been praised for their sophisticated examination of social and political issues. However, film critics argue that horror has always been political.
- Rosemary's Baby is cited as an example of a horror film that explores women's rights issues.
- Johnson's book highlights the longstanding connection between horror movies and women's rights, dating back to the 1960s and 1970s.
Author's summary: Horror movies have been intertwined with women's rights since the 1970s.