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College

College of Arts and Sciences

Major

Communication and Media, Journalism

Faculty Mentor

Eric Severson

Abstract

Menstrual stigma, a pervasive societal issue, is consistently depicted and reinforced within the horror film genre. Through the dissection of films such as Carrie, Ginger Snaps, Audrey Rose, and It, alongside an examination of cinematic narratives, character development, and symbolism in horror films—this paper undertakes a thorough exploration of the intersection between gender, menstruation, and the horror genre to expose the broader implications of such portrayals in both the realms of horror films and society at large. The underlying mechanism enacted to perpetuate harmful biases towards women’s menstruating bodies is the correlative depiction between menstruation and the emergence of malevolent and violent traits in female protagonists. After establishing the existence of female vilification in horror films, parallels between menstruation-focused horror storylines and the characterization of the menses in public education and general societal discourse are unveiled. To combat the oppressive ramifications of negative menstrual discourse, the implementation of comprehensive, inclusive menstrual education and open conversations rooted in body appreciation and menstrual positivity are critical to building a society in which women may bleed without societal shame.

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