The Exploration of Teaching Young Women Self-Defense in a Horror Context - Empowerment through Aggressive Action by Females in the Genre of Horror
In a world where modern horror films and literature give women dimension by exploring complex facets of womanhood through themes of violence, identity, and societal expectations, author Rachel Eve Moulton stands as a beacon. Known for her works "Tinfoil Butterfly" and "The Insatiable Volt Sisters", Moulton delves deep into the violence of womanhood, both the physical dangers women face and the symbolic violence of gender expectations.
Moulton's personal journey with horror began in high school and college, where she found a serious lack of female writers in the genre. Books like "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House, Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Cat's Eye, Toni Morrison's Beloved, and Katherine Dunn's Geek Love resonated with her, but the absence of female voices in horror was a stark reality.
This void inspired Moulton to confront her own misogyny in her novel "Tantrum". Her latest work, "Tinfoil Butterfly", explores the way women are taught to swallow and silence their trauma, a theme that resonates deeply with Moulton's own experiences. Upon hearing the news that she was having a girl, Moulton experienced a list of personal horrors, including self-hatred, depression, anxiety, body shame, predatory men, and mean girls.
Moulton advocates for never shying away from the female experience. She takes particular umbrage with women who say they can no longer stomach horror after having children. For Moulton, horror serves as a powerful weapon against hate, and sharing the story of shame is a means to disperse it.
Moulton's latest novel, "The Insatiable Volt Sisters", features a protagonist, Thea, who is the mother of three children under ten, two boys and a girl. Thea's journey mirrors Moulton's own, as she raises her children while grappling with the violence of girlhood and the symbolic violence of gender expectations.
Moulton's daughters have empowered her in raising them. She was smitten with the Canadian werewolf movie Ginger Snaps when she saw it, as it was written by a woman and depicted menstruation in a movie. Moulton believes that female werewolves are intrinsically more powerful than male werewolves in horror movies.
Moulton encourages her daughters to share their shame and speak about it to disperse it. She recommends novels like "Night Bitch" by Rachel Yoder and "Motherthing" by Ainslie Hogarth, works that delve into the complexities of womanhood and the violence of girlhood.
The rise in female-directed and female-led horror since 2009 has been a welcome change for Moulton and her eldest, who shares her love for the genre. Movies like Ginger Snaps, Jennifer's Body, Midsommar, The Babadook, The Substance have become staples in their shared horror film nights.
Moulton views the violence of girlhood as a means to a beautiful end. Watching a child grow gives one a new perspective on who one was at every age. For Moulton, exploring the violence of womanhood is not just a means to create compelling horror, but a way to understand and heal from the traumas that women face.
In a world where women are still fighting for equality and facing unique challenges, Moulton's work stands as a testament to the power of horror to explore the complexities of womanhood and the violence of gender expectations. By delving deep into these themes, Moulton's work resonates culturally and personally, providing a much-needed voice for women in horror.
- Rachel Eve Moulton, through her works like "Tinfoil Butterfly" and "The Insatiable Volt Sisters", delves into the violence of womanhood and the symbolic violence of gender expectations, a theme that resonates personally and culturally.
- In her novels, Moulton advocates for sharing stories of shame as a means to disperse it, recommending books such as "Night Bitch" by Rachel Yoder and "Motherthing" by Ainslie Hogarth to empower the next generation of women.
- Sharing a passion for horror with her eldest daughter, they've found solace in female-directed and female-led films such as Ginger Snaps, Jennifer's Body, Midsommar, The Babadook, and The Substance.
- Moulton's youngest daughters have inspired her to confront misogyny in her work and embrace the power of strong female characters, similar to those depicted in movies like Ginger Snaps and novels like those she recommends.
