Now I’m no expert on exorcism movies; I’ve never even seen one. But from the little bit I know about the three that I’m aware of (“The Exorcist,” “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” and the upcoming “The Last Exorcism”) they all feature possessed girls. That really tangles my rosaries! The repeated portrayals of women as controlled by spirits only further perpetuates the (not always conscious) belief that women are to be controlled.
These exorcism films are just one more message that reinforces the belief that men are able to control women- and that women should allow themselves to be controlled. This does not need to happen. The writers may not be doing it intentionally either. They may just be following the pattern of previous exorcism stories. That is why it is imperative for storytellers to carefully meditate on the subconscious messages of their stories. Let a demon torture a man. Let a superhero be in a same-sex relationship. Let a damsel save a dude in distress! It’s riskier, but the same messages over and over form dangerous stereotypes. Dangerous, demonic stereotypes!
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