The Monstrous Feminine
CW: sexual violence
In film scholar Barbara Creed's seminal book, The Monstrous Feminine, she makes the connection between gender and conceptions of monstrosity. The woman-as-monster or "monstrous feminine", describes monsters coded as feminine through exaggerations of gender performance or ties to reproductive bodily functions and motherhood. These figures have been pervasive throughout history—from ancient mythological figures, to gothic literature, and the modern horror movie. They most often exist to project patriarchal fears and reinforce gender norms—to be conquered by a leading man, thereby asserting his masculinity and reinstating the status quo.
With all that in mind, we've created a series of monstrously feminine gifs to recontextualize these figures as the powerful anti-heroines they are. You can find them on Giphy and share them with your friends!
Season of the Witch
The figure of the witch has long faced persecution. In the fourteenth century the Catholic Church deemed witchcraft as heresy and in service of the devil (and yes, this had everything to do with patriarchy). It didn't take long for witch hunts and trials to hit their peak, with countless innocent people subjected to atrocities at the hands of their accusers. However, prior to this nefarious characterization, witches were viewed as healers, experts in midwifery, and associated with nature. In many cultures around the world witches have been revered, embraced, and celebrated.
As Creed writes, "The earliest known witches were feared not as agents of the devil—as the Christian Church later argued—but because they were thought to possess magical, terrifying powers."
Stone Cold Medusa
Medusa is one of the most famous monsters from Greek mythology—a woman with hair made of snakes that can turn a person to stone with just her gaze. She is ultimately beheaded by the demigod Perseus (at which point she spontaneously gave birth to Pegasus the flying horse and the giant Chrysaor, but that's another story).
Yet, how did she end up as a monster in the first place? According to myth, Medusa was raped by the god Poseidon in the sacred temple of Athena. Instead of punishing Poseidon for this horrific crime, Athena turned on Medusa, transforming her into the monster we're so familiar with. Really Medusa was a survivor of sexual violence, cursed by a vengeful god, and murdered in her sleep. So who's the real monster in this story? Read more about the evolution of Medusa as a feminist figure at Bitch Media.
Screen Sirens
Water spirit femme fatales have existed across many cultures around the world. From the sirens of Greek mythology (originally conceived as bird-women who lured sailors to their deaths), to the figure of Mami Wata in West, Central and Southern Africa—these creatures are often described as both alluring and dangerous. Mami Wata, in particular, represents the dual powers of good and evil associated with the life-giving and taking force of water.
Inspired by these deities, the femme fatale is a precursor for the anti-heroines we know and love today. In a noir context these characters used gender performance to manipulate hard-boiled leading men to pursue their own agendas. In media these women were most often punished for their duplicitous behaviour and forced to conform to gender norms (that is if they even made it out alive). Our modern anti-heroines do no such thing.