Vault Master Rants: Horror Feminists

TRUTH.

To preface this post, I just want to state that I love women. I have ever since I was a little kid; I never went through that "ewww, girls are icky stage." They fascinate me to this day because even when I think I've got them figured out... I realize that I am totally wrong. (The man who finally DOES figure out the opposite sex will rule the world!) I love my mother, and grandmother, my sisters, my fiancee, and all of those in between. They have a different view of the world than I do, and have provided me with an emotional blueprint that I may otherwise be lacking. (To the dudes: They are the Subotai to my Conan. When I don't cry; they cry for me.) They are pillars of strength in my life and helped forge me into the person I am today. For that I am quite thankful.

The question you may pose to me now is do I see them as my equals? In many cases, yes I do. Sometimes I consider them my superiors. But there are things that I can do better than them. That's not being sexist, that's just the truth. Everyone is good at something, but not always at the same thing. I can cook basic stuff (I'm a master at grilled cheese sandwiches and pancakes), but my fiancee can put on a feast! She can top off the fluids in her car and change a flat tire, but I'm the one who changes the oil and takes it into the shop when it needs something major fixed. We're a team! The same applies to every other female in my life; we all learn from each other and grow as people.

And don't think that I'm making myself out to be a saint, because I most definitely am not. Do I occasionally objectify women? Yeah I do at times... but those cosplay chicks are totally asking for it! (Calm down! I'm kidding!) Do I make sexist remarks and jokes? Absolutely, but it's not limited to women. I tend to make fun of everybody, for everything and anything, and that includes myself. I like to poke fun at others, and I can take what I can dish out. But I also know when to cool it; I know when to shut my yap and respect others.

Which brings me to feminism. I understand it, and support it to an extent, but in my belief people are just people. We  label everyone in our society so it's difficult to see a person as just a person. Race, creed, gender... it all actually doesn't matter, but we're taught growing up that it does. Women who are feminists are striving for equality with men, which I think is more than fair. If a women can do the same work as I can (or do an even better job) then she most definitely deserves equal pay. If a woman wants to partake in a sport despite the risks, then let her give it a shot. Life is about pursuing our dreams and finding our limits. Those rights belong to everyone.

Enjoy some nightmare fuel!

And then there are the extremists; the ones that use feminism as a cover. While it may be a "man's world," women have certainly carved out a place amongst us. But some aren't content and lash out at us "cruel oppressing males" under the guise of promoting female equality. And some of them happen to be hiding out in the horror community, right under our very noses. :: cue shocked gasps and ominous music ::

Ok, I'm being melodramatic, but an incident occurred in a little corner of the web the other night that  raised my hackles and got me involved in an argument that I probably normally would have avoided. A gentleman by the name of Herner Klenthur posted a Top Ten List of NEW Masters of Horror. It's just  a quick opinion piece featuring ten directors that Herner believed were Masters of Horror material. While not everyone will agree with his choices, it's a solid list and not incendiary in the least.

And then it happened. Someone calling herself Hannah Neurotica posted a comment saying "Really?! Not one woman on that list...."

Now, it's my belief that this top ten list was partially user generated as Herner asked Horror-Movies.ca fans on Facebook who they considered to be a new Master of Horror. And before the can of worms was flung open, I sat and thought to myself... there really aren't any women working in the genre as directors that would be fitting of the Master of Horror moniker. Most of the mainstream female directors who started off in the horror genre (e.g. Kathryn Bigelow and Mary Lambert) moved on to bigger things, or just steady work in other genres. They earned their ability to pick and choose their projects.

To be sure, there are dozens of other female horror directors, but most of them work in the indie/micro-cinema world, and have yet to break out into something bigger. In an age where anyone can be a filmmaker thanks to digital film and editing, there's so many voices shouting "watch my movie!" that a lot of them get lost in the crowd. It's a grueling business whether you're a man or woman, and more often than not, a lot of films and their creators just fade into obscurity.

And then the flame-war began. While one commenter made some suggestions for Herner to look into, Ms. Hannah Neurotica went on the attack and called him a lazy journalist who needed to expand his horizons. A few people jumped in on Herner's side and Ms. Neurotica seemed to back down and all was well.... and then this blog post appeared: The New (ALL MALE) Masters of Horror.

This post really set me off. I usually don't go out of my way to defend someone, but this was what us guys call, a "dick move." This post was meant to, as I said in one of my many comments, "rattle some sabers." It's essentially an attempt at a smearing campaign to vilify a harmless Top Ten List written by a more than amiable writer. This wasn't about feminism now; this was simply about being a bully and using overly feminist rhetoric to try and make some waves and engage in some self-promotion.

What resulted was a verbal smackdown from myself and several other writers, with (in my opinion) the heaviest blow coming from a FEMINIST HORROR BLOGGER. Check out what she had to say here: DAY OF THE WOMAN - HORROR-MOVIES.CA DOESN'T LIST ANY WOMEN AS "10 NEW MASTERS OF HORROR," AND WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BITCH ABOUT IT.

The situation has since been defused (as far as I can tell) but I won't be surprised if Ms. Neurotica and her cronies rise up to create more drama again in the near future. And just who exactly is Hannah Neurotica? Well she is one of the masterminds behind WOMEN IN HORROR MONTH (something I didn't promote in the past and now refuse to promote in the future). Their quest is to promote women in the horror biz (particularly in the low-to-no budget film arena) one month a year.... in a month that boasts Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day, and is already taken for "Black History Month." While I'm sure they mean well, creating drama and utilizing bully tactics on the web will not further their cause in my eyes.

Speaking of their cause: Back in January 2012, the editor of Fangoria magazine posted a letter basically saying "Women in Horror Month? Really?! This needs to be a thing? Don't we celebrate women in the genre all the time?!" While maybe not entirely PC, he clearly made the point that his publication covered women in horror on a very frequent basis, and he didn't see the need for Women in Horror Month to exist. (Check out Chris Alexander's letter HERE.) Skip ahead a year and interestingly enough.... Women In Horror Month is now officially recognized by Fangoria Magazine. Way to stick to your guns guys.

So to close this all out, to Hannah and the rest of her WOMEN IN HORROR MONTH friends: Play nice with others and don't resort to bully tactics to promote your cause. Fight the good fight against someone that is being overly chauvinistic and making things difficult for women that are trying to persevere in the horror business. Starting up a flame-war and creating drama like you gals did should be beneath you. And perhaps you should just scrap the whole WOMEN IN HORROR MONTH thing and create a "Women in Horror League?" Why not focus on the hard-working women in the horror genre all year long?!

To any women reading this: Thank you. Thanks for putting up with all our stupid macho bullsh*t on a daily basis; most of us guys are basically just giant kids. Thanks for helping many of us guys raise our kids (not speaking from personal experience.... yet). Thanks to all our mothers who put the fear of God in us (literally and figuratively) and loved us all unconditionally. And thank you to all the actresses, producers, directors, editors, and other filmmaking ladies who have contributed to the art of cinema over the years. You are all heroes in my eyes.

With that all said, get in that kitchen and make me a sammich!

WAIT! STOP! I WAS KIDDING! AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!