There’s no denying that it can be pretty scary to be a woman. We, unfortunately, need not look past our realities to know that, but sometimes there’s nothing like a classic horror movie to put into perspective how terrifying our real-life fears and challenges are.
With their scream queen leads and nuanced stories, there’s a whole subset within the genre known as feminist horror. While some franchises may center around the male gaze and a handful of older filmers may have included shameful messaging (ever notice the first kill in a slasher is the character who has sex?), horror also has a long history of being feminist. From its trope of “the final girl” who resiliently faces off with the villain to its themes exploring puberty and empowerment and the many up-and-coming filmmakers within the genre today, many scary movies are centered around women’s stories. Below, we’ve rounded up a handful of the very best feminist horror movies that we consider must-watch.
