Originally published September 7, 2019 in The Rational.

When you think of female characters in horror films, you might think of a bra-less bimbo being stalked through the woods by a masked serial killer. Or perhaps you’re picturing a perfectly coiffed starlet from the 1940s fainting at the sight of a costumed monster. Either way, in the wake of today’s women’s empowerment movement, the first image conjured up is unlikely to be someone who seems worth idolizing at all.