Honestly torn

[james_davis_nicoll]

What's more core to horror, racism or misogyny?

Comments

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

My understanding of horror is essentially this; it rests on a bedrock of xenophobia and social conservatism -- those who refuse to hew to the traditional values, especially when that involves treating with outsiders, get punished. Severely. Often, since the narrative stance is het-male, the xenophobia can manifest not just as racism, but misogyny or homophobia, because none of those things are het-male identity normative. My point of view might well be flawed or too limited; I'm not an expert in the genre, really -- but this lens of transgression and punishment has been the one I've seen horror through for some time.