Horror Movie Misogyny
2 MarWe talked about RomComs and the subtle ways they show who deserves to be loved by society’s standards. One type of couple are romanticized: Conventionally attractive, white, cis, straight, and adhering to strict gender norms. POC are absent or unfairly portrayed, LGB are stereotypically tokenized and rarely get the same centered treatment or happy ending. Trans people are absent, showed via shame-allegories, or mocked. And women and men have to walk a very thin line of acceptable femininity and masculinity (meant to be prescriptive to the viewer). Of course, the heteronormative courtship, relationship, and outcome are upheld as the only way to be, and anything less is failure.
Horror movies are a mirror of society: What we fear at the time, prevalent misogyny, and attitudes about race and sexuality. While romcoms show who deserves to be loved, horror movies show who deserves to survive (and who should be punished).
“What’s the point? They’re all the same: Some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can’t act who is always running up the stairs, when she should be running out the front door. It’s insulting.” Any horror film enthusiast can relate to Neve Campbell’s line from “Scream.”
Popularity of the Horror Genre:
Horror movies are a part our pop culture landscape. We grew up with films such as “Chucky” or “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” We watched these movies and began developing our attitudes about gender roles. Women are weak and vulnerable. Men are brutal and powerful. The slasher-horror films emphasize these sexist stereotypes about men and women.
There have been many criticisms of the genre, from the representation of women, explicit violence against them, and ongoing sexual objectification. A frequent argument against the genre is that it is problematic to enjoy watching women be killed in graphic and violent ways.
The problem started with misogynistic film writers and directors who saw women being killed as a great way to capitalize on their hatred for women. “I like women, especially beautiful ones. If they have a good face and figure, I would much prefer to watch them being murdered than an ugly girl or a man,” stated Hitchcock. [Major incel vibes-yikes to the nth power!] True to his word, Hitchcock was the first director to have a woman being gruesomely murdered on screen in his 1960 “Psycho.”
Horror films can be a reflection of the still-too-pervasive “slut shaming” we see in our daily lives. The virginal (at least, that’s the presumption), sweet, and/or pious woman is the one “worthy of saving” while her sexually active women counterparts should die. The messaging is clear: you “get what you deserve,” whether that’s an unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease in real life or a knife to the breast in a horror film for having (and enjoying) sex. The “loose” girls are not worthy of protection and empathy.
Profitability of the Horror Genre:
Definition:
Society’s Fears:
If you dig past the monster makeup, horror cinema becomes vividly unique. Horror has an innate ability to reflect larger cultural anxieties — anthropomorphized through demons, clowns, or flesh-eating zombies.
Take Godzilla. Throughout its various incarnations, the terrifying Japanese creation is often viewed as a metaphor for the Atomic bombs dropped during WWII. Zombies from The Night of the Living Dead (1968) are a critique of American consumerism. Slasher movies are often seen as an attack on white American suburbia. Terror is more visceral when it reflects a deep-seated fear within a society. And as society changes, so too do our fears. The recent horror renaissance has begun to skewer different evils, like racism in Get Out or depression in The Babadook.
You can loosely see the pattern of real world fears translating into that type of horror movie in the following graph:
There was a peak in drama-horror during each World War.
During prohibition and high mob activity, crime-horror had peaks.
During the Cold War when fears of an atomic bomb were rife, Sci-Fi horror spiked.
After 9/11 action-horror peaked, when we all traumatized by a larger than life attack, and wished for a super hero to protect us.
Considering all of this, there’s no wonder that many antagonists are either male or male coded while the main target in their pathway is a woman or girl. Most slashers’ general framing is about a woman’s fear, loss, and suffering. It’s an unfortunate reflection of the horrors we face in society. And, the woman who goes on a journey of rising up against an antagonist and reclaiming her power doesn’t win either.
Women See Themselves in Horror Movies:
Women often find ourselves in real-life situations where we lack agency or fear for our safety. We have to quell our actions and responses. We don’t want to evoke the wrath of a potentially dangerous man, many of whom seem to appear out of thin air. When we “run for help,” we are labeled hysterical and easily dismissed until the violence sharply escalates.
This gaslighting is the crux of many slasher narratives. People start going mysteriously missing as the killer picks them off. Someone (usually a woman) points out that something isn’t right only to be met with derision. A disturbing amount of men use those social politics to their advantage. They hurt women and girls because of their sense of entitlement and superiority… and they can get away with it. And women have encountered these types of men at the grocery store, the workplace, the nightclub, and sometimes in our own homes. According to Clover, slasher films let us experience this unthinkable evil through aligning with the survivor.
Ariel Smith states that “by forcing the subconscious fears of audiences to the surface, horror cinema evokes reactions, psychologically and physically: this is the genre’s power.”[26] The genre holds a great amount of potential to not only explore violence against women and minorities, but also inform the public and show the extents of that violence in a powerful way.”[26]
Horror has never shied away from metaphors and commentary about social issues and that isn’t a bad thing. But it becomes a problem when stories center women and they are not directly involved in crafting them. Those elements can easily get lost in the need to show women partially naked and/or enduring much strife before their brutal demise.
The Bechdel Test:
Used to measure the depth of female characters in movies.
A film will pass the Bechdel test if it meets all of the following 3 criteria:
1) has more than one named female character
2) if they speak to each other
3) if that communication is about something other than men
With a staggering average of around 43% of all movies failing, we can see that women’s representation in films are often either only through men or revolving around male character’s stories. But in a ranking of genres, Horror came second only to Music, passing the Bechdel test with 70% films meeting all 3 criteria. Next were romance, musicals, and dramas. Out of the 22 genres tested, the worst were war, film-noir, and at the bottom — western movies, with just 25% passing. While the Bechdel test does not measure the quality or success of an individual film, it does highlight patterns of subtle sexism and allow one to compare genres.
Timeline:
But this subset really began to build its own place in horror during its ascent in the 1970s. Films like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Halloween established characters, tropes, and narratives that provide foundational concepts for slashers today. One of those crucial slasher film elements is having women as central characters.
Of course, it is nearly impossible to do an official tally of all the men versus women who died in every slasher film in existence. But we can pull a few well-known examples to get a general gist. Let’s go back to the slasher genre’s Golden Age between the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In Halloween (1978), three of the four named character deaths are women. Sadly, two of them meet their fate after a sexual encounter. This isn’t shocking for this era.
The “promiscuous” women die while the “good girl” survives (hello, Laurie Strode) reigns supreme. It seems like a pushback of sorts to the time period. Women’s revolutions raged against patriarchal double standards and inequities in favor of women gaining autonomy over their bodies and lives.
The original Friday the 13th (1980) film, however, piles up the bodies with more men dying than women. Some of those male deaths come in the form of them occupying the “traditional” male role of a protector.
Let’s move on to another popular time period for horror: the ‘90s and 2000s. The original Scream (1996) might distract you with its covert sexism as the amount of sexual shaming and victim blaming heaped on Sidney and her mom is astounding. But that film actually takes out more men than women! There’s Steve Orth, Kenny the cameraman, and Principal Himbry’s deaths versus Casey Becker and Tatum Riley. (Maureen’s death takes place prior to the events of the film.)
However, the men are either killed off-screen (like Steve) or have less violent deaths. Meanwhile, we get a lengthy opening scene of Casey’s psychological torture. Even people who are only mildly familiar with the franchise recognize this scene. It ends with a close up of her swaying from a tree with her insides hanging out. And, although Ghostface doesn’t directly kill Tatum, she too goes through a short game with the killer before being crushed in a garage door. The women’s deaths are definitely more memorable. But it is worth noting: The Scream franchise as a whole (including its last two installments of this era) has more male victims than women. (Yes, I actually counted.)
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) is a slasher film sequel that evens the score with two men and two women dying. features Karla and Julie running around in the rain with their bras showing for far too long. Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Helen gets quite the chase scene and build up to her death. Meanwhile her boyfriend gets a quick hooky hook that she witnesses.
Films of the 2010s and 2020s (so far) haven’t really had the infamy of the aforementioned ones. But in a lot of slasher films, men are just as likely to end up on the wrong side of a slasher weapon as women. However, the framing of women’s deaths seems to be quite different. There’s a deep focus on the sheer terror and emotional upheaval. Why is this the case?
Men reigned supreme behind the cameras and scripts. They got to tell a woman’s narrative from their perspective, inserting their own thoughts about morality into the mix, whether consciously or subconsciously.
I certainly don’t think all male directors and writers have been using their craft to “teach and preach” or satisfy some inner sadistic urge to torture/hurt/kill women. However, it is not farfetched to say that the subjugation of women in slasher films speaks to how some men, especially those fueled by power, influence, and money, treat and perceive women. The movies show that men see women as sexual vehicles, yet demonize women for being sexually liberated. Misogyny and the male gaze are two rather obvious culprits, particularly in earlier slasher offerings.
What is the Male vs. the Female Gaze?
The concept of the male gaze affects many forms of media, such as movies, television shows and literature. The male gaze is the idea that heterosexual men make up a majority of audiences for these forms of visual media, usually coupled with sexualizing and objectifying women. Horror movies often fall victim to this trope with recurring themes of sexual, physical and emotional violence against the female characters in the films.
Test 1: Do you see the difference in male vs. female gaze?
One of these pictures was taken from a catalog aimed at a female audience and one was taken from a magazine edition aimed at men.
Everybody is dry-no oily bodies. Smiles and tamed hair. Upright posture, but no arching. Arms are relaxed. Everyone’s legs are crossing, obscuring crotch.
Glistening, wet bodies and/or hair. Shoulders are pulled back more. More breast showing (pulling on the suits to show more). More unnatural poses
The leftmost gal isn’t standing straight, she’s sort of hanging from the railing. The Middle gal, has here head and neck back and twisted upwards. It looks like she could be running, but her arms aren’t in a running position. The rightmost woman has the most closed off pose at first glance, but her legs are spread wide, and that closed arm is actually pulling the suit to reveal more skin.
Test 2: Is there still a difference in gaze when the swimwear is more revealing?
Male Gaze- The women are all touching. Hips are right up next to butts, boobs touch backs or boobs touch boobs. Everyone’s back is at least a bit arched, which sticks chest and butt out more. Hips are rotated so some butt is visible. Everyone’s shoulders are somewhat pulled back.
Female Gaze- Everyone is touching, but more friendly side to side. Shoulders are more relaxed and nobody is arched. The picture is cropped higher on the lower body so no crotch or upper thigh is visible. No part of any butt is visible.
It’s a horror movie. So what? While they’re just horror movies, they do say a lot about our culture. It may not seem like they do because they’re hidden with plot twists and chase scenes, but a lot of the context is relevant to society. The films tend to portray what is going on in society.
At its core, horror films are enjoyable because of the fear factor. Many fail to realize that there have been harmful tropes implemented for decades that hurt women and erase a large portion of society in favor of the straight, white female that survives til the end.
Representation:
Race-
By constantly reusing and creating trope images/plot devices like the “Indian burial ground” and “Mythical Negro”[28] these films trap an entire minority in a set role in cinema while also rendering the reality of their cultures invisible.[24]
Castañeda is studying films that date back to the 1920s where minorities are depicted as the monster, or things to be afraid of and comparing them to today’s movies, where the goal is to subvert this.
The infamous slasher survivor girls are overwhelmingly white and presumed heterosexual. Now there are more non-white women characters who get to be more than the disposable best friend or backgrounder.
Many horror films cast women, specifically women of color, as background characters, making them the targets of violence or even the villain of the film. Over time, these constant narratives in movies push the film industry backward when it comes to representation, according to media studies and Ph.D. candidate Ana Ponce Castañeda.
“It seems to me that women of color in movies always get killed off first or die in some horrible way that no one else did like the producers have some weird aggression towards them,” Newland said in an email. “I think it gives minority kids a horrible representation of themselves. They only ever see themselves as unwanted and second best to other characters.”
Scream (2022) gave us the Carpenter sisters and Mindy, a Black girl who gets to be the horror geek expert. American Horror Story: 1984 let a Black woman become a slasher final girl after starting off as a tertiary antagonist. And we got Deena, an emo Black girl protagonist in the Fear Street series who takes down generational trauma. This is a vital shift because, in society, women who aren’t white face stereotyping in monolithic ways that strip away their humanity. To have a non-white woman be the protagonist opens up a completely new avenue of examining our world. That is, if the creators let it happen.
This deeper rooted misogyny exposes further problems with the horror genre and its catering to a white audience.[24] It also exemplifies issues of racism within film making and how, according to Harry M. Benshoff, “the vast majority of those films use race as a marker of monstrosity in ways generically consistent with the larger social body’s assumptions about white superiority”.[25]
Women-
As Monster-
the female monster is unable to control her emotions when pain occurs, whereas male monsters are unable to feel pain.[5]
Another big concern is the role of the female as a villain. However, she’s only powerful when she seduces her male counterparts. In “Jennifer’s Body,” for example, the villain seduces men, making them vulnerable and then kills them. Embracing one’s sexuality isn’t a bad thing by any means, but if it’s the only way you can destroy your male counterpart, there are some serious problems.
Audiences are not supposed to identify with Carrie White whilst she becomes the monster, instead they are supposed to be scared of her ability and destructive potential. Carrie is purposely portrayed in this manner because she demonstrates what happens when women gain power and are no longer repressed. Carrie ultimately tells its audience that they must live as a patriarchal world and if they do not then this is what will come of it.[10]
As victim-
One of the biggest cliches in horror films is this idea of “the virgin” versus “the slut.” One of the ongoing themes in horror films is “virginal” women stand a good chance alive at the end of the film and the “whorish” women end up dead. This is true in “Scream,” “Sorority Row” and “Halloween.” Virgins are portrayed as pure and innocent and non-virgins as slutty sinners. If you have sex, you will die, just like Coach Carr said in “Mean Girls.”
The horror film emphasizes the idea of female sexuality being something that needs to be punished or come with negative consequences. It shows that once a woman acts in a sexual way she will be killed. Sex is considered to be a masculine trait because it is a form of power over someone, and if a woman tries to take control of this power, she will instantly be punished. Her sexual freedom is not within gender-norms, and the patriarchal society does not accept it.[17] Only “male domination is natural and follows inevitable from evolutionary…or social pressures”.[18]
The Chase often consists of a sexualized and degraded woman running for her life as an assailant hunts her down and kills her. The Chase will feature the woman in various states of undress and lecherous camerawork that focuses on her body before she is killed in an attempt to mix sex and violence. The “male gaze,” a term coined by Laura Mulvey in “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”, describes the depiction of female characters in a sexualized, de-humanizing manner. Female victims in slasher films are shown to be in a state of fear five times as long as males, specifically occurring during “the chase”.[19] women largely appear on screen for men’s erotic pleasure.[21]
Female characters are likely to experience sexual violence, particularly in the rape-and-revenge subgenre.
As Hero-
it is virtually always a female character who survives and beats the evil force. This is essentially the main framework of the horror genre. There is a type of ‘evil’ threatening a person who is ‘good’. In the end, the ‘good’ always destroys the ‘evil’. This could be argued to be empowering, as the woman rises up to victory and becomes a survivor rather than a victim. In the same way that rape revenge films are seen as a female survivor getting back at her attackers, many horror films, which follow this framework, could then be interpreted as the female gender responding to male violence as a whole.
On the surface, the idea of a strong female protagonist who outsmarts and escapes the antagonist all on her own seems like an inspiring empowering story. However, there are a few traits in every final girl that point to an unhealthy form of women empowerment. These films seem to have decided what is a pure, respectable, and smart woman. The most compelling trait is that every final girl is a virgin. Although the girls and other teens around them engage in sexual acts, she refrains even if she has a boyfriend. She is also socially awkward which leads to her not partaking in any parties where there can be drugs or alcohol. This leads her to be clear-headed and ready to fight. These traits point to an undercover harm being done to this seemingly innocent trope.
The only way the final girl is able to kill or escape the monster is by taking on male characteristics. The final girl is one of the most commonly seen tropes in horror films. The final girl is always female, usually a virgin and according to Carol J. Clover, who first identified this trope in 1992, she is typically seen as “the embodiment of what a woman should be.” She does not smoke, drink or engage in other illicit behavior though most, if not all, other characters in the film do. She is the lone survivor of the slasher villain, and often bests him by taking on masculine characteristics and engaging in her own form of brutality to kill or escape the antagonist in the end. Clover notes that the final girl is almost always brunette, modestly dressed and seemingly naive in comparison to her friends and other film characters.
Men-
Sexism against men in horror films happens quite a bit, and it’s often undetected.
Many viewers would reject a film that showed abject terror on the part of a male” said Steven Casey Murray, horror movies editor at BellaOnline. This response from the audience is delusional and highlights what is warped about our culture. Men can experience abject terror, too.
Probably one of the most offensive trends in horror films is how men are depicted. The male is often seen as a brutal, merciless and untrustworthy. In “Scream,” the boyfriend betrays Sydney’s trust, kills her mom and “steals” Sydney’s virginity. In “Halloween,” Michael Myers kills his teenage sister and later attempts to kill his other sister. You also need to pair this with this idea of the “weak” female as portrayed in horror films. The “evil” male chases after the “weak” female. Men are somehow always the predator and female will and forever shall be considered the prey.
Pigeonholes men into the villain role and perpetuates the standards of rape and the “boys will be boys” culture.
A recent societal fear, as famous men with traits of toxic masculinity have recently been exposed for the dangers they pose to society. In horror cinema, this fear is less abstract, manifested as a physical menace.
Survivors:
Physiological Response to Horror:
Horror movies since their early days in the 1930’s have a history of people fainting, reliving traumatic experiences, having seizures and even dying from heart attacks while watching them. Although your brain is aware that the threats aren’t real, your body simultaneously registers them as if they are. Sally Winston, licensed psychologist and executive director of the Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland, explains, “[When watching horror films], your heart pumps and the adrenaline flows, and your attention narrows in, even as you know you are at home or in the theatre and there is no real danger.” Horror films are designed to elicit certain emotions such as tension, fear, stress, and shock. These can cause the release of the hormones in the body such as norepinephrine, cortisol, and adrenaline from the autonomic nervous system. You may notice a physiological response from these hormones by way of pupil dilation, increased heart rate, and muscle tension.
“Even the post-horror euphoria some feel is activating, not relaxing. Thus, even for those who enjoy the emotional roller coaster, horror and suspense films can make it harder to sleep,” says Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center. Although adrenaline contributes to the overall experience of the movie, the elevated states can make it harder to sleep. Rutledge notes that “for sensitive individuals, sleep can also be impaired by internalizing the images [from movies] into dreams.”
Binge-watching horror movies also increases the regularity of adrenaline in the body, worsening issues with sleep. ResearchTrusted Source has shown that sleep loss or poor quality sleep can negatively affect how the brain processes emotions the following day and can intensify negative emotions. Trusted Source. Poor sleep has also been linked to mental health issues. It’s estimated that 90 percentTrusted Source of people with depression experience poor sleep quality. Some researchTrusted Source suggests poor sleep in older adults increases the risk of death by suicide.
People who suffer from anxiety are more likely to be negatively impacted by horror films. As Rutledge explains, “Chronic anxiety increases the sensitivity to startle-eliciting stimuli, thus making people who are already stressed and anxious more likely to respond negatively.” Anxiety sensitivityTrusted Source is the fear of the bodily sensations associated with anxiety and a misinterpretation of these sensations as being real threats. Those that suffer from anxiety sensitivity are more likely to experience a negative impact from watching horror films. The tendency to fear intrusive thoughts and images may be triggered and increase levels of anxiety or panic.
Horror Movies Betray What’s Going on in Society:
It’s a morality tale-
“There are deniers who say these tropes are not harmful but they are. Women are portrayed this way because our society has always put women at the bottom. It is how society keeps women down.
Final girls have recessive traits. Only praising women who are virgin, tomboyish, and cunning shames women who are expressive of their sexuality, okay with their femininity, and lack masculinity,” Tauberg said.
It’s this kind of psychological representation,” Castañeda said. “You see something in the movies, and then you act on it, even if you’re not really conscious about it. Movies represent reality; it’s kind of a cycle.”
Stereotypes like these lead many people to believe this kind of behavior is OK – that it’s OK to treat somebody like crap because she “had it coming,” or that men deserve to get the shit beaten out of them if they show any sign of weakness.
These stories and stereotypes exist in slasher films to inform us in the style of a parody. They take these themes we see in everyday life and show us how ridiculous they are. It makes fun of the fact that women have to be weak and stupid or that men are brutal and emotionless.
Conclusion:
There are equally valid reasons to point out that many elements of misogyny are present in all genres, with horror perhaps actually being more progressive in some essential ways.
Watching horror films can also be an opportunity to confront one’s fears as the viewer withstands the horror and gets to enjoy the payoff of resolution. opportunities to face one’s fears and develop the confidence that you can, in fact, endure unpleasant distress, and that it’s not dangerous to you,” Winston explains.
Many women such as myself enjoy horror films, but it is apparent that most women would not survive the high standard male film directors have laid out for us:
Still, it is rather hard to find many slasher films that don’t have men controlling the narrative off-screen in some way. And that needs to change if we want to see the future we deserve: A woman wielding the axe while a man runs, trips, and cries in the woods wearing his underwear. (I’m kidding… but not really.)
Sources:
https://www.uatrav.com/opinion/article_720e5f20-7dc9-11ee-8288-73b1568b0e1d.html
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-do-horror-movies-affect-your-mental-health#takeaway
https://bjornjohann.medium.com/toxic-masculinity-in-modern-horror-films-c6d490f26755
https://prezi.com/vyjy8kkujdzk/the-history-of-horror-films
https://threemenandalittlelady.weebly.com/further-research—horror-genre–target-audience.html
More Progressive than RomComs [Horror Movie Misogyny final]
1 MarWe talked about RomComs and the subtle ways they show who deserves to be loved by society’s standards. One type of couple are romanticized: Conventionally attractive, white, cis, straight, and adhering to strict gender norms. POC are absent or unfairly portrayed, LGB are stereotypically tokenized and rarely get the same centered treatment or happy ending. Trans people are absent, showed via shame-allegories, or mocked. And women and men have to walk a very thin line of acceptable femininity and masculinity (meant to be prescriptive to the viewer). Of course, the heteronormative courtship, relationship, and outcome are upheld as the only way to be, and anything less is failure.
Horror movies are a mirror of society: What we fear at the time, prevalent misogyny, and attitudes about race and sexuality. While romcoms show who deserves to be loved, horror movies show who deserves to survive (and who should be punished).
There are equally valid reasons to point out that many elements of misogyny are present in all genres, with horror perhaps actually being more progressive in some essential ways.
Watching horror films can be an opportunity to confront one’s fears as the viewer withstands the horror and gets to enjoy the payoff of resolution. Facing fears can aid in developing the confidence that you can, in fact, endure unpleasant distress, and that it’s not dangerous to you,” Winston explains.
Many women enjoy horror films, but it is apparent that most women would not survive the high standard male film directors have laid out.
Still, it is rather hard to find many slasher films that don’t have men controlling the narrative off-screen in some way. And that needs to change if we want to see the future we deserve: A woman wielding the axe while a man runs, trips, and cries in the woods wearing his underwear (can you imagine?)
Sources:
https://www.uatrav.com/opinion/article_720e5f20-7dc9-11ee-8288-73b1568b0e1d.html
Click to access 1990%20Cowan187-196.pdf
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-do-horror-movies-affect-your-mental-health#takeaway
https://bjornjohann.medium.com/toxic-masculinity-in-modern-horror-films-c6d490f26755
https://prezi.com/vyjy8kkujdzk/the-history-of-horror-films
https://threemenandalittlelady.weebly.com/further-research—horror-genre–target-audience.html
Stereotypical Gender Roles [Horror Movie Misogyny 6]
28 FebHorror movies are a mirror of society: What we fear at the time, prevalent misogyny, and attitudes about race and sexuality. While romcoms show who deserves to be loved, horror movies show who deserves to survive (and who should be punished).
Horror movies are a part our pop culture landscape. We grew up with films such as “Chucky” or “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” We watched these movies and began developing our attitudes about gender roles. Women are weak and vulnerable. Men are brutal and powerful. The slasher-horror films emphasize these sexist stereotypes about men and women.
Women-
As Monster
the female monster is unable to control her emotions when pain occurs, whereas male monsters are unable to feel pain.[5]
Another big concern is the role of the female as a villain. However, she’s only powerful when she seduces her male counterparts. In “Jennifer’s Body,” for example, the villain seduces men, making them vulnerable and then kills them. Embracing one’s sexuality isn’t a bad thing by any means, but if it’s the only way you can destroy your male counterpart, there are some serious problems.
Audiences are not supposed to identify with Carrie White whilst she becomes the monster, instead they are supposed to be scared of her ability and destructive potential. Carrie is purposely portrayed in this manner because she demonstrates what happens when women gain power and are no longer repressed. Carrie ultimately tells its audience that they must live as a patriarchal world and if they do not then this is what will come of it.[10]
As Victim
One of the biggest cliches in horror films is this idea of “the virgin” versus “the slut.” One of the ongoing themes in horror films is “virginal” women stand a good chance alive at the end of the film and the “whorish” women end up dead. This is true in “Scream,” “Sorority Row” and “Halloween.” Virgins are portrayed as pure and innocent and non-virgins as slutty sinners. If you have sex, you will die, just like Coach Carr said in “Mean Girls.”
The horror film emphasizes the idea of female sexuality being something that needs to be punished or come with negative consequences. It shows that once a woman acts in a sexual way she will be killed.
Sex is considered to be a masculine trait because it is a form of power over someone, and if a woman tries to take control of this power, she will instantly be punished. Her sexual freedom is not within gender-norms, and the patriarchal society does not accept it.[17] Only “male domination is natural and follows inevitable from evolutionary…or social pressures”.[18]
The Chase often consists of a sexualized and degraded woman running for her life as an assailant hunts her down and kills her. The Chase will feature the woman in various states of undress and lecherous camerawork that focuses on her body before she is killed in an attempt to mix sex and violence. The “male gaze,” a term coined by Laura Mulvey in “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”, describes the depiction of female characters in a sexualized, de-humanizing manner. Female victims in slasher films are shown to be in a state of fear five times as long as males, specifically occurring during “the chase”.[19] women largely appear on screen for men’s erotic pleasure.[21]
Female characters are likely to experience sexual violence, particularly in the rape-and-revenge subgenre.
As Hero
it is virtually always a female character who survives and beats the evil force. This is essentially the main framework of the horror genre. There is a type of ‘evil’ threatening a person who is ‘good’. In the end, the ‘good’ always destroys the ‘evil’. This could be argued to be empowering, as the woman rises up to victory and becomes a survivor rather than a victim. In the same way that rape revenge films are seen as a female survivor getting back at her attackers, many horror films, which follow this framework, could then be interpreted as the female gender responding to male violence as a whole.
On the surface, the idea of a strong female protagonist who outsmarts and escapes the antagonist all on her own seems like an inspiring empowering story. However, there are a few traits in every final girl that point to an unhealthy form of women empowerment. These films seem to have decided what is a pure, respectable, and smart woman. The most compelling trait is that every final girl is a virgin. Although the girls and other teens around them engage in sexual acts, she refrains even if she has a boyfriend. She is also socially awkward which leads to her not partaking in any parties where there can be drugs or alcohol. This leads her to be clear-headed and ready to fight. These traits point to an undercover harm being done to this seemingly innocent trope.
The only way the final girl is able to kill or escape the monster is by taking on male characteristics. The final girl is one of the most commonly seen tropes in horror films. The final girl is always female, usually a virgin and according to Carol J. Clover, who first identified this trope in 1992, she is typically seen as “the embodiment of what a woman should be.” She does not smoke, drink or engage in other illicit behavior though most, if not all, other characters in the film do. She is the lone survivor of the slasher villain, and often bests him by taking on masculine characteristics and engaging in her own form of brutality to kill or escape the antagonist in the end. Clover notes that the final girl is almost always brunette, modestly dressed and seemingly naive in comparison to her friends and other film characters.
Men
Sexism against men in horror films happens quite a bit, and it’s often undetected.
Many viewers would reject a film that showed abject terror on the part of a male” said Steven Casey Murray, horror movies editor at BellaOnline. This response from the audience is delusional and highlights what is warped about our culture. Men can experience abject terror, too.
Probably one of the most offensive trends in horror films is how men are depicted. The male is often seen as a brutal, merciless and untrustworthy. In “Scream,” the boyfriend betrays Sydney’s trust, kills her mom and “steals” Sydney’s virginity. In “Halloween,” Michael Myers kills his teenage sister and later attempts to kill his other sister. You also need to pair this with this idea of the “weak” female as portrayed in horror films. The “evil” male chases after the “weak” female. Men are somehow always the predator and female will and forever shall be considered the prey.
Pigeonholes men into the villain role and perpetuates the standards of rape and the “boys will be boys” culture.
A recent societal fear, as famous men with traits of toxic masculinity have recently been exposed for the dangers they pose to society. In horror cinema, this fear is less abstract, manifested as a physical menace.
Popularity & Profitability [Horror Movie Misogyny 1]
21 FebWe’ll do this one in smaller pieces, and I might split ‘romcom’ into several posts as well.
We talked about RomComs and the subtle ways they show who deserves to be loved by society’s standards. One type of couple are romanticized: Conventionally attractive, white, cis, straight, and adhering to strict gender norms. POC are absent or unfairly portrayed, LGB are stereotypically tokenized and rarely get the same centered treatment or happy ending. Trans people are absent, showed via shame-allegories, or mocked. And women and men have to walk a very thin line of acceptable femininity and masculinity (meant to be prescriptive to the viewer). Of course, the heteronormative courtship, relationship, and outcome are upheld as the only way to be, and anything less is failure.
Horror movies are a mirror of society:
What we fear at the time, prevalent misogyny, and attitudes about race and sexuality. While romcoms show who deserves to be loved, horror movies show who deserves to survive (and who should be punished).
“What’s the point? They’re all the same: Some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can’t act who is always running up the stairs, when she should be running out the front door. It’s insulting.” Any horror film enthusiast can relate to Neve Campbell’s line from “Scream.”
Popularity of the Horror Genre:
Horror movies are a part our pop culture landscape. We grew up with films such as “Chucky” or “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” We watched these movies and began developing our attitudes about gender roles. Women are weak and vulnerable. Men are brutal and powerful. The slasher-horror films emphasize these sexist stereotypes about men and women.
There have been many criticisms of the genre, from the representation of women, explicit violence against them, and ongoing sexual objectification. A frequent argument against the genre is that it is problematic to enjoy watching women be killed in graphic and violent ways.
The problem started with misogynistic film writers and directors who saw women being killed as a great way to capitalize on their hatred for women. “I like women, especially beautiful ones. If they have a good face and figure, I would much prefer to watch them being murdered than an ugly girl or a man,” stated Hitchcock. [Major incel vibes-yikes to the nth power!] True to his word, Hitchcock was the first director to have a woman being gruesomely murdered on screen in his 1960 “Psycho.”
Horror films can be a reflection of the still-too-pervasive “slut shaming” we see in our daily lives. The virginal (at least, that’s the presumption), sweet, and/or pious woman is the one “worthy of saving” while her sexually active women counterparts should die. The messaging is clear: you “get what you deserve,” whether that’s an unwanted pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease in real life or a knife to the breast in a horror film for having (and enjoying) sex. The “loose” girls are not worthy of protection and empathy.
Profitability of the Horror Genre:
Anna [from Who is Lacy to Olivia Rodrigo?]
19 Feb***Trigger Warning***
Weight, BMI, Eating Disorders
Now, don’t come for me. It’s one thing to call-out anorexia in a mean, disparaging body-shaming way, and another to have both eyes and concern. NOT mentioning the elephant in the room is stigmatizing. Personal opinion of weight aside, Olivia herself says she struggles with self-image.
Pale and sallow complexion: A reduced intake of crucial nutrients like iron and B vitamins can result in anaemia, which manifests as a pale and sallow complexion. Iron is essential for producing haemoglobin, a protein transporting oxygen throughout the body. When iron levels are insufficient, the skin’s oxygen supply diminishes, leading to a lack of colour and vitality in the complexion.
Olivia says, “I see you everywhere” and I think she’s talking about strict societal beauty expectations/examples. So we’re going on a side journey:
I know the BMI chart is controversial. We could argue the pros and cons all day and really waylay this post, but that’s for a different day. I’m using it as a way to standardize different height/weights. Also, I’m not trying to shame anybody on either end of the spectrum, or in the middle, so just be aware of random article snark. Thirdly, I’m also using random Google height/weight info so take the accuracy with a grain of salt. I’m trying to compare apples to apples and give some sort of reference point for celebrity/model BMI and thus all of us. The point is, women (and men in a different way, also to be discussed on another day) are held to impossible beauty/body standards, and have been throughout the decades.
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
1900 The Gibson Girl
1910 The ideal female form is depicted as a tall and slender woman. She has a voluptuous bust and wide hips, exaggerated by way of corseting. Women of the Edwardian Era used Belladonna, a highly poisonous and even lethal plant, drops to make their pupils dilate, making the women look aroused (I’m not making this up, promise). They have also smeared their faces with lead cream to make them look pale.
1920s Flapper
The female form changed in this decade from exaggeratedly feminine to exaggeratedly boyish. Androgyny is the look of the day, short hair, bras tightened to flatten girls chests, dieting and exercise.
1930s/1940s = war and depression
Short hair remained but skirts became longer and showed off natural waists without corsets. Emphasized shoulder width was common with a trend towards practicality lead by war rationing, un-elaborate jackets and simple blouses.
1950s Post-War
The hourglass figure returned and women aimed to become more feminine and curvy. With an end to rationing, women were able to get the glamour model look. Taking full advantage of the latest beauty products, women of this era never left home without looking perfect.
The Sexual Revolution 1960s
The sexual revolution brought back two separate trends. The start of the 60s the super skinny look; the thin androgyny of the flapper returned with an almost pre-pubescent appearance. The end of the 60s however brought back the fuller figured woman with the long straight hair of the Hippy era.
1970s Thin is In
Thin won out and the 70s were the start of the dangerous slimming culture. Long hair became common and minimal make-up made for a natural look.
Fitness reigned in the 80s
Women preferred a toned rather than muscular body and aerobic exercise was part of a woman’s daily life. Women need to be slender, toned and tall.
A lot of the women in all of these decades had body dysmorphia and eating disorders (many told later in life, after their peak fame). I think it’s particularly interesting to look at poster-gal for the modern fitness movement, Jane Fonda:
It just goes to show what you see on the surface is not necessarily the reality of the situation. Jane Fonda looked like she had it all, while she was secretly suffering. I think it shows the audience to view these perfect images and celebrity personas through a critical lens [critical as in skeptical, or as in we don’t know the whole context] before we fashion our bodies and lives after the unattainable capitalistic images we are sold.
Baywatch 1990s
The ideal female figure became even more exaggerated in TV and film.
Heroin Chic
Models became more and more waif like and moved from slender to boney.
Kate Moss – BMI 16.0
Calista Flockhart – BMI 15.6
Remember how scandalized people were about how “voluptuous” J-Lo was??!
Men face different pressures.
As you can see, they are not usually as thin as women:
but their bodies are required to have unrealistic muscle mass.
Size Zero 2000s
Keira Knightley – 17.2
Twenty years ago models weighed, on average, 8% less than the average American, but now weigh 23% less.
Miley Cyrus – BMI 18.4
Today, the average woman has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 26-28
whereas models range from 15-16, which is dangerously underweight.
Celebrities are slightly better than models with an average of 17-20, a borderline healthy BMI.
OF COURSE a teenage girl would be inundated with images of unattainable perfection. Especially those trying to make it in the industry. It’s not surprising at all that Olivia might interpret every celebrity she saw as feminine, thin, and beautiful and desire that for herself. Sidenote- we are ALL bombarded by these images and have a lot of un-learning to do.
And I think that’s exactly who the Lacy in the song is- Olivia’s own negative self-talk. The voice telling her she’s not good enough.
Lacy = The romanticized, coveted image of perfection that this patriarchal society lionizes.
That Olivia manifests.
Look at the lyrics again through that lens and tell me what you think in the comments!
Sources:
https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/health/bmi-real-women-vs-celebrities
http://www.stat.ucla.edu/~vlew/stat10/archival/SP01/handouts/celeb.html
https://www.boredpanda.com/most-beautiful-women-edwardian-era-1900s
Perfect Girl [from Who is Lacy to Olivia Rodrigo?]
18 FebLacy is the NAME of Olivia’s personal insecurities.
Lacy is delicate and thin, frilly and feminine, skimpy and translucent yet still elegant and dainty. Now describe for me patriarchy’s idea of the perfect woman (or just think about Bridget Bardot): Soft and skinny. Feminine and sexy, but not aggressive. Still upstanding and subtle. Same, same.
Here’s the lyrics of the OPENING TRACK, ya know, the place to set expectations of what the album will be about [I underlined things for emphasis]:
“all-american bitch”
I am light as a feather, I’m as stiff as a board
I pay attention to things that most people ignore
And I’m alright with the movies
That make jokes ’bout senseless cruelty, that’s for sure
And I am built like a mother and a total machine
I feel for your every little issue, I know just what you mean
And I make light of the darkness
I’ve got sun in my motherfuckin’ pocket, best believe
Yeah, you know me, I
Forgive, and I forget
I know my age, and I act like it
Got what you can’t resist
I’m a perfect all-American
I am light as a feather, I’m as fresh as the air
Coca-Cola bottles that I only use to curl my hair
I got class and integrity
Just like a goddamn Kennedy, I swear
With love to spare, I
Forgive, and I forget
I know my age, and I act like it
Got what you can’t resist
I’m a perfect all-American bitch
With perfect all-American lips
And perfect all-American hips
I know my place
I know my place, and this is it
I don’t get angry when I’m pissed
I’m the eternal optimist
I scream inside to deal with it, like, “Ah”
Like, “Ah” (Oh my fucking God)
All the time
I’m grateful all the time
I’m sexy, and I’m kind
I’m pretty when I cry
Oh, all the time
I’m grateful all the time (Grateful all the fucking time)
I’m sexy, and I’m kind
I’m pretty when I cry
In the song Olivia has spelled out what the perfect woman is supposed to be [I don’t make the rules, patriarchy does]: Thin and sexy, have good lips and hips and hair. Listen (to men), and be kind, but don’t hold them accountable, forgive, forget, be grateful ALWAYS, and love, love, love (do not say no to advances). Don’t get angry, definitely don’t show it if you’re angry, be positive at any cost. Even when crying, look good and sexy. Keep appearance and image at the forefront. Have money and grace, displaying perfection, beauty, and wealth like a Goddamned Kennedy. Want and have kids. Be perfect.
Feminine words in the Song:
like puff pastry
[delicate, soft, smelling good, intricate, exotic, delicious]
Aren’t you the sweetest thing
sweet and kind
angel Lacy
Angelic, perfect, of God.
Victoria’s Secret Angels top models with unattainable beauty standards.
daisies
Aside from the Kaylor of it all…
Like perfume that you wear
Smart sexy Lacy, I’m losing it lately
Dazzling starlet, Bardot reincarnate
Like ribbons in your hair
I’m thinking of the very first thing that might differentiate a baby boy and a baby girl.
How about rigid standards of femininity?
I’m thinking ultra-feminine:
Cheer
Brides
restriction:
IRL RomCom [2024 anti-Valentine’s Day #17]
9 FebLike turkey on Thanksgiving, and green beer on March 17, romantic comedies go together with Valentine’s Day.
Before we look at how popular romantic comedies are for Valentine’s Day viewing, and how much those films have made (on Valentine’s Day) check out the rest of the Valentines series:
Rom-coms remain a constant in the lives of many girls and women. Those easygoing, light-hearted stories could became a routine comfort watch in any context: Mom-and-daughter dates, Caturday Netflix and chill, “sick day” movie marathons, slumber party entertainment, girls night out to the theater, first date movie, dorm group activity, long trip boredom killers, or VALENTINE’S DAY— you name it. Romcoms have the fashion, the hot cast, and the Disney romance with happy ending.
But aside from the sentimentality and habit of it all, romcoms are comforting at an endocrine level:
We talked about how many of these movies were made and how much money they made. How romcoms are a staple in many people’s lives, and younger people, especially, are known to consume tons of these films. We went over how the movies follow a certain script and elicit an emotional response. Is knowing that romcoms are unrealistic a barrier against absorbing the messages within the films?
Example: The brain changes in structure and function to accommodate frequent input (such as learning an instrument).
The more the brain processes say, playing the violin, the more it prioritizes the structures and functions needed to play the violin. More connections, stronger connections, faster connections.
Now add neuroplasticity to general societal attitudes and positive and negative reinforcement, and you’ll see that watching romcoms IS learning. And what exactly is the viewer learning from these “chick flicks”?
When people pick out a romcom to watch, they want a happy love story. They don’t want to think or be challenged with tough history or divergent life experiences. They don’t want to have questions running through their minds while trying to relax into the film.
Add to that, the majority of Hollywood power players are white males. [Gay activists say a there’s a strong undercurrent of homophobia in the movie community that has caused many homosexual executives to remain in the closet, and actors of both sexual orientations to shun overtly gay roles for fear of hurting their careers.] Stories created by any other type of person don’t make it very far, because movie financing is tricky, and decision-makers are risk-averse. Appealing to the largest (paying) demographic is safe. Doing what has been successful before is more certain. Thus, the genre is formulaic: Man + Woman (both cis, straight, usually white, always conventionally attractive) have a series of miscommunications leading to a heteronormative romance and happily ever after (that 1950s $hit, if you will).
Other races, ethnicities, sexualities, and lifestyles are portrayed at a superficial level and stereotypical manner, if they are shown at all:
Black Women-
Example: 10 Things I Hate About You
Black Men-
The villainous stereotype will hopefully become an endangered species in Hollywood. POC have already made it quite clear that they are fed up with appearing in movies as muggers, pimps and other disreputable characters. Arab Americans say they are sick of being typecast as terrorists. And Native Americans have had it with being portrayed as brutish scalp-craving savages (played by Hispanic or brown-face actors).
Now gay activists are taking to the streets to decry the growing number of movies that, they say, are stereotyping them. Activists have successfully forced their concerns about gay images in the movies out into the open. They argue that all the onscreen mayhem is inciting real-life violence against members of their community. A five-city survey conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute reports a 31% increase in gay-bashing incidents, including a jump in the number of anti-gay murders to eight, from three in 1990.
Gay Men-
With few exceptions, the homosexual characters in movies are campy caricatures like the ultra-fey wedding consultant played by Martin Short in Father of the Bride. The issue with LGBTQ+ characters in such movies is that they are rarely multi-faceted characters with well-thought-out backstories. Instead, their sole personality trait is their sexuality, and every action they take — from the outfit they wear to the discussions they engage in — mirrors and further pushes an outdated ideology about LGBTQ+ people that is ridden with harmful stereotypes. From the “Kissing Booth” and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” series to movies such as “Prom,” which received scathing reviews for its flamboyant, stereotype-reliant characters, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: token LGBTQ+ characters that can be counted on one hand are not and will never be a stand-in for movies displaying real, authentic, joyous, and long overdue LGBTQ+ love.
Lesbians-
Rarely included. Sometimes the funny best friend. If it’s a supposedly sapphic plot, it focuses on the struggle of being WLW, and rather than a lighthearted love story we get yearning, so much yearning!
The bulk of lesbian characters are usually portrayed incorrectly, falling victim to stereotypes such as Big Boo on Orange is the New Black. That character isn’t an exception to the rule, she’s just a more fleshed out version of the same old predatorial butch stereotype. On the other side of the coin (wait that sounds like 50:50 representation, more like the other 98% of the time) lesbian characters are objectified. They are conventionally pretty, feminine with long hair, soft features and girlfriends who carry a similar aesthetic. It can feel as though they were created for the male gaze or to satisfy some kind of sexual fantasy for the audience.
Butch (actually butch) lesbians are largely still MIA. They’re treated either as the anti-sex symbol, or just like guys. Julie said, “I do think that’s the problem with butch lesbians-people see them like men so why would you give a part to a butch lesbian when you could just have a man do it?”
Bisexuals-
Portrayed as basically an edgy or quirky straight lady. Conventionally attractive, read: White, thin, but maybe brunette hair instead of blonde. She dips her toe (ha! let’s leave it at that for the purpose of this post) in sapphic waters, but the film will treat it as a confused, flaky anomaly, not a fully formed sexuality. And of course, by the end of the movie this bisexual character usually gets her $hit together, reforms [film’s vibe, not my sentiment] and ends up with a man.
Trans-
Excluded altogether, or allegorical (think Pretty Women with a shameful secret to change and hide), or worse, cross-dressing comedic relief.
Some small films are being made and released independently. But industry insiders attribute the dearth of mainstream LGBTQ films to the fact that movies with those themes don’t do well commercially. Joel Schumacher, director of Flatliners and Dying Young says, “The business doesn’t care what you do in bed, but it does care what you do at the box office.”
So you see, the comfortable storylines in romcoms are excluding and “othering” identities that do not align.
But this is WOMEN’s genre-hello, “chick flick” ! Girls and Ladies are the biggest consumers. Females star in the movie, their stories are centered, many of these characters are independent and successful, and they end up happy.
But even then, it’s not what it seems. Women are portrayed in a flat, binary way: There’s the desperate to find a man type of gal or the serious, un-fun workaholic that isn’t desirable or right for a man.
Femininity is a highly prescribed, oft deal breaking affliction. Too much is desperate, uncool, and undesirable. Too little is icy, intimidating, and ugly. The woman at the beginning of the film must change in order to secure the man. The woman at the end of the movie in more palatable and agreeable (to men). These movies are a roadmap for how real life women should act (if they want to get a guy).
Too Feminine-
Example: 10 Things I Hate About You:
[I’m really not picking on this movie specifically, it just works well for many of these points]
Not Feminine Enough-
All too often, pop culture dictates that women must choose, and that “career” is the wrong choice. Society needs to remember that these options are not mutually exclusive, and that we can have both.
Despite actresses starring in “chick flicks” the power dynamics in romcoms are still skewed toward men:
Is she really the lead?
Employment-
Example: Bridget Jones’ Diary-
Age-
And this film phenomenon absolutely translates to real life:
These movies don’t just pigeonhole race, ethnicity, sexuality, and femininity.
Masculinity is very narrowly defined as well
Women, have you ever found yourself at a point where you sit and think, “Why aren’t all guys caring, romantic, falling in love with me, deliciously attractive, and willing to do anything for my love?” Are these movies messing with our perception of love and making our standards impossible for guys?
The lead man always has those same set of physical characteristics that we talked about above. But more than that, he has to change by the end of the movie as well. Almost every romcom transforms a grim, sloppy, selfish boy/man, who is anti-marriage or doesn’t know what he wants into the ultimate Greek god and perfect partner going out of his way to dote on his woman.
Another common theme in romcoms is the expectation that men are mind readers and know what the female lead wants and needs without her communicating those feelings. In 10 Things I Hate About You, Kat and Patrick never confess their feelings for one another until the very end. Kat writes a poem in class listing all of the things she hates about Patrick after they broke their relationship off due to Patrick not telling Kat how he feels. In these movies, men don’t want to be vulnerable and confess their feelings. Well, vulnerability must take place for romance because how else can your crush convey their feelings? Communication is necessary to move on and improve our relationships.
Romantic comedies have put men on this pedestal of who should be the “romantic one” in a relationship. A crucial part of every romcom is that all men will go out of their way to gain love. Romantic gestures, intimate gifts, and flying across the states to ask you to marry him are all tactics we have seen numerous times. Although some women would like to agree that a man should make the first move to be a romantic companion, women can too.
One Psychology Today article explains: Over time, we consciously and unconsciously internalize cultural norms, evaluating ourselves and others in comparison to them. Given this, it doesn’t seem like a stretch to assume watching hours and hours of romantic comedies may somehow reset some internal switch about the power disparity between, well, everyone except cis, straight white males. And maybe even our own self-esteem, expectations as women, career ambitions, or perception of what a relationship should look like.
A team at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh studied the top 40 box office films released between 1995 and 2005, to establish common themes. The team produced a study in 2008. They asked hundreds of people to fill out a questionnaire to describe their beliefs and expectations when it came to relationships. The results showed that the fans of films such as You’ve Got Mail, The Wedding Planner, and While You Were Sleeping, frequently fail to communicate with their partners effectively. Many of them held the view that “if someone is meant for you, then they should know what you want without you needing to tell them.” Dr. Bjarne Holmes, a psychologist who led the research, told that Marriage counselor’s often meet with these people that have this mindset and also believe that sex should always be perfect. The team drew conclusions from the study suggesting that the popular media plays a role in putting these ideas in women minds.
Dr. Holmes expressed, “People feel like if their relationships are not like a Hollywood film, then it is not any good. Time and energy needs to be invested for it to work.”
RomCom Expectations can Increase Tolerance for Abuse
Consider How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, in which a big-city magazine editor gets caught up in a “love competition” with the publication’s advertising executive, who is secretly in on the bet.
or You’ve Got Mail, where a local bookshop owner gets run out of business — but ultimately winds up with the businessman whose chain bookstore replaced her own.
Or Never Been Kissed, when a shy newspaper reporter poses as a student to get a second chance at high school, but falls in love with the English teacher who thinks she is just one of his students.
You’ll notice that these relationships are not equal. Some of these situations are just plain rude. Would you seriously consider a relationship with the man who ran you out of business? Some of these plot points are based on fireable or criminal offenses on the part of the men. It’s never okay to date your student, even if it turns out she’s of age. Men carry the upper hand in these films, whether through implied financial success (advertising or business executive), authority (English teacher to someone thought to be a student), or both, it’s sometimes subtle, but it’s there.
This absolutely impacts real life
Movies watched during an impressionable period can have a huge role in the misconceptions that girls (and boys) have when it comes to relationships. If a guy treats you poorly, he likes you. If you argue a lot with another person, it means you have chemistry. “No” just means she’s playing hard to get. You can see where this is headed, and it’s worth an entire post of it’s own.
The comforting feeling of sitting down to watch a romantic tear-jerker is something viewers hold dear, and Valentine’s Day is just a real life example of romcoms playing out. This is the IRL day that everything you’ve soaked up from romcom movies can come true! Researchers believe that the influence of Hollywood films is implanting a sense of “perfect” relationship within society and providing unrealistic expectations about romance. In the same way the porn industry might dictate a man’s expectations in bed (choking, rape fantasy, the money shot) [Sidenote: I’m not here to kink-shame, but at the same time I’m not sure women are driving these trends. “see yer therapist” as Joey from ‘I Think Not’ podcast would say]. Romcoms influence what women desire and expect on the day of romance.
But it’s time to be aware. A closer look at the problematic themes and toxic couples in “chick flicks” reveals the consistent trend in how minorities, women, men, and relationships are presented under Hollywood’s spotlight. While it’s one thing to know the films are unrealistic, and maybe even transition away from this genre (trust me, every genre has it’s problems and we’ll get to that) it’s harder to rewire an internal bias or learned behavior. It’s a good idea to make a conscious effort to notice some of the lingering after-effects that may result from years of exposure to this rom-com genre, and it’s real life iteration, Valentine’s Day.
Sources:
https://www.thealinemag.com/entertainment-socialmedia/the-toxic-reality-of-rom-coms
https://womensmediacenter.com/fbomb/the-problem-with-rom-coms
https://movieweb.com/romantic-comedies-popular-why/
https://www.34st.com/article/2021/02/romantic-comedy-diversity-bipoc-hollywood-representation
https://bouqs.com/blog/valentines-day-statistics-survey
https://business.yougov.com/content/45117-how-will-americans-spend-valentines
https://today.yougov.com/entertainment/articles/45146-americans-relationship-romantic-comedies-poll
https://www.movieguide.org/news-articles/who-goes-to-the-movies-4.html
https://www.jonathanwstokes.com/blog/2015/04/18/are-romantic-comedies-profitable
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2021.630829/full
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-16592-y
https://www.vice.com/en/article/3kxzpv/rom-com-queer-viewer
https://www.autostraddle.com/queering-the-canon-where-are-all-the-trans-rom-coms
https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,975226-2,00.html
Taylor Swift and the Gaylor Double Standard
16 JanIn the heteronormative context it takes very little evidence to start dating rumors. Unconfirmed relationships are cemented in (approved) fan lore. The standard of proof to be considered Taylor Swift’s boyfriend is LOW. And people just chuckle or silently move along with incorrect assumptions of dating status are about men, while going feral about correct ones.
On the other hand, the same details (or more!) about a woman is met with doubt, than condemnation. The standard of proof is SKY HIGH, and ultimately impossible to clear. Then there is much backlash for the mere suggestion.
You have to ask yourself WHY?
A duet and a song title are enough to cement an unconfirmed relationship:
Just showing that John is a popular name, and a Dear John letter is a well-established thing:
Why isn’t a song title (Wonderland) and tattoo removal enough?
Paper airplane necklaces:
I didn’t hear a big backlash about these rumors:
So why are these rumors such a problem?
scissor(ing) [I don’t make the rules] jewelry
If you assume they’re dating because of this hand holding:
Than they also have to be dating in these:
It’s a whirlwind romance due to trips:
Why doesn’t an important (often referenced) trip to Big Sur count as romantic?
If a Tik Tok song and a wink leads to speculation that you’re fine with:
What’s wrong with thinking, “hmmmmm” at a full-on engagement-esk photo shoot? Why is this an unhinged conspiracy theory?
Do you see the difference in the standard of proof?
Just think about why it’s “invasive speculation” when it’s a woman, but totally fine and accepted if it’s a man…
Who is “Lacy” to Olivia Rodrigo?
20 DecChallenge: Decipher who the song “Lacy” is about
https://time.com/6312025/olivia-rodrigo-lacy-meaning/
At first I thought this might be a secret gay song. What, with the lyrics:
Like perfume that you wear
I linger all the time
Watchin’, hidden in plain sight
Ooh, I try, I try, I try
Smart sexy Lacy, I’m losing it lately
Like ribbons in your hair
My stomach’s all in knots
You got the one thing that I want
Ooh, I try, I try, I try
And I despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for you
but it doesn’t hold up because:
Lacy, oh, Lacy, skin like puff pastry
the hell?! I can assure you no woman wants to be described as puff pastry. And no sapphic (I mean we’re not a monolith, but this is just common sense) gets off on pastry skin…
If it’s not exactly gay, then some sort of drug? There are distinct drug/addiction references:
Dear angel Lacy, eyes white as daisies
But it takes over my life
The sweetest torture one could bear
My stomach’s all in knots
But it’s like you’re made of angel dust
And I despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for you
Yeah, I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you
It IS giving addiction, but be real PCP seems very out of place for Olivia Rodrigo’s life.
Are there hints in the song telling us who the subject might be?
Dazzling starlet, Bardot reincarnate
What is Bridget Bardot known for?
Here’s a snippet of the Wiki entry, but don’t worry, I’ve included a summation so you can just skim if you want.
To sum up
Bridget Bardot played the woman God created, she’s a sex-kitten, Lolita, popularized the bikini in America, locomotive of women’s history, played Naughty Girl, Plucking the DAISY, had a role as a much too beautiful bride. She was unprofessional, but mythical, became a souvenir, was that impossible mix of sexual freedom and non-aggression, and was ranked 2nd most beautiful women. She inspired countless beautiful, feminine, images of perfection in Hollywood and beyond as the ultimate pin-up and standard of beauty.
–> Sidenote- Cautionary Tale:
Bardot felt ugly, sheer dread meeting people, suffocated, and the attention quickly destroyed her to the point that she broke out in herpes with the stress of starting each new film. Not the super sexy or glamorous life to aspire to knowing that information, amIright?
Let’s put together some of the pieces of Olivia’s writing process, passions, and state of mind in order to construct the final image of who the song might be about.
Here is an interesting thing about Olivia’s writing:
OK, so we know the songs are personal. And the writing process is releasing depressed feelings onto the page.
Olivia is an advocate for Therapy, and destigmatizing talking about it openly:
Olivia writes about the content of her therapy sessions:
When asked directly who “Lacy” is about this was Olivia’s answer:
All the songs are about ME. And I think she’s being (mostly) honest. Lacy is not about Taylor Swift or Sabrina, or a lesbian love interest. It’s not an actual real-life person at all. Read the lyrics of this more overt song (same subject matter, in my opinion) to see what I mean:
Dear Insecurity
Brandy Clark showed me this song (both her & Olivia’s) is assuredly about self-esteem and perception:
Dear insecurity
Oh, we meet again
Don’t try to flirt with me
You’re not really my friend
But you take up half this bed
Livin’ rent-free in my head
Oh, insecurity
You show up in my mirror
Point out the worst in me
You whisper in my ear
That my lips are way too thin
Too many miles on my skin
If I can’t find a way to get you gone
Can we find a way to get along, along, along?
You’re careless, and you’re cruel, and, oh, you’re mindless
Maybe you could try a little kindness
Instead of hurtin’ me
Oh, insecurity
Now where did you come from?
Your immaturity
Is the thing I can’t outrun
You’re a mean girl, you’re a bully
And I hope you’re havin’ fun
Hey, insecurity
You try on all my clothes
It just occurred to me
That you may live in my phone
You tell me I don’t fit in
Push me close to quittin’
If I can’t find a way to get you gone
Can we find a way to get along, along, along?
You’re careless, and you’re cruel, and, oh, you’re mindless
Maybe you could try a little kindness
Instead of hurtin’ me
‘Cause insecurity
This time feels like love
She’s really sure of me
So, please don’t fuck this up
If you cut in on this dance
I may never get another chance
I’ll never find a way to get you gone
Wish I could find a way to know you’re wrong, you’re wrong, you’re wrong
You’re careless, and you’re cruel, and, oh, you’re mindless
Maybe you could try a little kindness
Instead of hurtin’ me (instead of hurtin’ me)
Why you hurtin’ me, insecurity?
Take-home point: Brandy has personified insecurity.
Back to Olivia’s “Lacy”
Same same:
Did I ever tell you that I’m not doing well?
Ooh, I care, I care, I care
But it takes over my life
Smart sexy Lacy, I’m losing it lately
I feel your compliments like bullets on skin
You got the one thing that I want
Lacy, oh, Lacy, it’s like you’re out to get me
You poison every little thing that I do
Lacy, oh, Lacy, I just loathe you lately
And I despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for you
Yeah, I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you
Are you picking up what I’m (we’re: Brandy, Brandie, Olivia, and I) are putting down???
Lacy is the NAME of Olivia’s personal insecurities.
Lacy is delicate and thin, frilly and feminine, skimpy and translucent yet still elegant and dainty. Now describe for me patriarchy’s idea of the perfect woman (or just think about Bridget Bardot): Soft and skinny. Feminine and sexy, but not aggressive. Still upstanding and subtle. Same, same.
Now, don’t come for me. It’s one thing to call-out anorexia in a mean, disparaging body-shaming way, and another to have both eyes and concern. NOT mentioning the elephant in the room is stigmatizing. Personal opinion of weight aside, Olivia herself says she struggles with self-image.
Here’s the lyrics of the OPENING TRACK, ya know, the place to set expectations of what the album will be about [I underlined things for emphasis]:
“all-american bitch”
I am light as a feather, I’m as stiff as a board
I pay attention to things that most people ignore
And I’m alright with the movies
That make jokes ’bout senseless cruelty, that’s for sure
And I am built like a mother and a total machine
I feel for your every little issue, I know just what you mean
And I make light of the darkness
I’ve got sun in my motherfuckin’ pocket, best believe
Yeah, you know me, I
Forgive, and I forget
I know my age, and I act like it
Got what you can’t resist
I’m a perfect all-American
I am light as a feather, I’m as fresh as the air
Coca-Cola bottles that I only use to curl my hair
I got class and integrity
Just like a goddamn Kennedy, I swear
With love to spare, I
Forgive, and I forget
I know my age, and I act like it
Got what you can’t resist
I’m a perfect all-American bitch
With perfect all-American lips
And perfect all-American hips
I know my place
I know my place, and this is it
I don’t get angry when I’m pissed
I’m the eternal optimist
I scream inside to deal with it, like, “Ah”
Like, “Ah” (Oh my fucking God)
All the time
I’m grateful all the time
I’m sexy, and I’m kind
I’m pretty when I cry
Oh, all the time
I’m grateful all the time (Grateful all the fucking time)
I’m sexy, and I’m kind
I’m pretty when I cry
In the song Olivia has spelled out what the perfect woman is supposed to be [I don’t make the rules, patriarchy does]: Thin and sexy, have good lips and hips and hair. Listen (to men), and be kind, but don’t hold them accountable, forgive, forget, be grateful ALWAYS, and love, love, love (do not say no to advances). Don’t get angry, definitely don’t show it if you’re angry, be positive at any cost. Even when crying, look good and sexy. Keep appearance and image at the forefront. Have money and grace, displaying perfection, beauty, and wealth like a Goddamned Kennedy. Want and have kids. Be perfect.
Feminine words in the Song:
like puff pastry
[delicate, soft, smelling good, intricate, exotic, delicious]
Aren’t you the sweetest thing
sweet and kind
angel Lacy
Angelic, perfect, of God.
Victoria’s Secret Angels top models with unattainable beauty standards.
daisies
Aside from the Kaylor of it all…
Like perfume that you wear
Smart sexy Lacy, I’m losing it lately
Dazzling starlet, Bardot reincarnate
Like ribbons in your hair
I’m thinking of the very first thing that might differentiate a baby boy and a baby girl.
How about rigid standards of femininity?
I’m thinking ultra-feminine:
Cheer
Brides
restriction:
PCP (Angel Dust): Effects, Hazards & Extent of Use
It is considered a dissociative drug, leading to a distortion of sights, colors, sounds, self, and one’s environment.
Drugs.comhttps://www.drugs.com › illicit › pcp
Meaning of Lacy:
I’m not diagnosing anybody, but given the lyrics I can see Olivia at least thinks about femininity, and image, and societal expectations. One strategy that therapists have used for addictions or body dysmorphia issues is to separate the negative voice from the person, described in the following entry:
https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/your-stories/naming-eating-disorder/
And I think that’s exactly who the Lacy in the song is- Olivia’s own negative self-talk. The voice telling her she’s not good enough. Lacy = The romanticized, coveted image of perfection that this patriarchal society lionizes. That Olivia manifests. Look at the lyrics again through that lens and tell me what you think in the comments!
Lacy, oh, Lacy, skin like puff pastry
Aren’t you the sweetest thing on this side of hell?
Dear angel Lacy, eyes white as daisies
Did I ever tell you that I’m not doing well?
Ooh, I care, I care, I care
Like perfume that you wear
I linger all the time
Watchin’, hidden in plain sight
Ooh, I try, I try, I try
But it takes over my life
I see you everywhere
The sweetest torture one could bear
Smart sexy Lacy, I’m losing it lately
I feel your compliments like bullets on skin
Dazzling starlet, Bardot reincarnate
Well, aren’t you the greatest thing to ever exist?
Ooh, I care, I care, I care
Like ribbons in your hair
My stomach’s all in knots
You got the one thing that I want
Ooh, I try, I try, I try
Try to rationalize
People are people
But it’s like you’re made of angel dust
Lacy, oh, Lacy, it’s like you’re out to get me
You poison every little thing that I do
Lacy, oh, Lacy, I just loathe you lately
And I despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for you
Yeah, I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you
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Catty Remarks