Flipping the Script: How Feminist Horror is Redefining Fear

With Halloween around the corner, I can't help but explore how horror films have started to feature strong, complex female characters, challenging old stereotypes. Let’s talk about feminist horror and how it's flipping the script on fear.?

The Final Girl's Evolution

The "Final Girl"—the one who survives the killer and saves the day—has been around for ages. But now, she's more than just a symbol of purity or luck. Think Sidney in Scream, who uses her smarts to outwit her attacker, or Erin in You're Next, who fights back hard, showing us resilience doesn’t need to follow the old rules.?

Body Horror as Empowerment

Feminist horror has also leaned into body horror to highlight real issues for women. Raw uses cannibalism to talk about female desire and Jennifer’s Body flips the script on objectification by turning its lead into a man-eater—literally. These films get real about women's bodies and the struggles we face.?

Witches and Female Power

Witches, once seen as symbols of persecution, are now reclaiming their power in horror. Movies like The Witch and The Craft bring magic and empowerment into the conversation, showing women standing up to oppressive systems with some seriously rebellious energy.

Motherhood in Horror

Motherhood isn’t all warm fuzzies in horror films like The Babadook or Hereditary. These movies take a raw, sometimes dark look at the pressures and fears of being a mother, giving a voice to emotions we don’t always see on screen.

Shifting the Male Gaze

Feminist horror also challenges how women are portrayed. Films like A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night or It Follows take power back, flipping the script on the male gaze and forcing us to see these stories from a woman's perspective.

Teeth (2007) is a game-changer in feminist horror that flips the script on typical genre tropes. Directed by Mitchell Lichtenstein, it tells the story of Dawn, a teenage girl who discovers she has vagina dentata—literally, teeth in her vagina. She uses this to fend off sexual predators. The film mixes body horror with dark comedy to tackle themes of sexual awakening, consent, and female empowerment. Despite some initial pushback from male-led studios, it’s now a cult classic, known for its bold take on the "monstrous feminine" and its raw look at the threats women face regarding sexual violence. While some debate its feminist roots due to being male-directed, Teeth stands strong as an important feminist horror film, challenging societal norms and celebrating female agency.

So this Halloween, why not host a feminist horror movie night? These films not only bring the scares, but also spark conversations about gender, power, and what it really means to be the hero of your own story.

So, which feminist horror film has left the biggest impact on you, and how do you think it challenges traditional gender roles?