What the hell happened to Women in Horror Month?

If you follow The Coda on a consistent basis, and noticed it is already mid-February, you might be asking yourself - "What the hell happened to Women in Horror Month?"

Well, I am happy to fill you in.

Women in Horror Month (WiHM) started as a grassroots movement about 13 years ago with an organization behind it to help drive events and conversations. Unfortunately, like many other businesses, events, and movements, COVID brought about some challenges.

On March 1, 2021, the official WiHM organization announced they would be no more. 

But.....and this is a big BUT.

The announcement was not a resignation of the movement. It was a call to rally the troops for something bigger.

As stated on their website, WiHM "found that not only is there enough content, traffic, and engagement for one month, we believe there is enough to take celebrations year round." (See full statement at https://www.womeninhorrormonth.com/special-announcement/).

Now is not the time go silent but to roar.

Over the years I grabbed onto this movement and tried to do my part locally in Arizona, I have shared diverse female written/directed films at the Phx FilmBar to audiences hungry to celebrate these voices. I have wrote various pieces for The Coda hoping to spark something in others. I have joined BS Movies Podcast and Phoenix Fan Fusion for several discussions around Women in Horror. I have joined one of the most amazing groups of women EVER - The Film Brujas. 

And I don't intend to stop.

I may have slowed a bit due to other commitments but I'm as on fire as ever.

Watching 5 incredible women written/directed films at Sundance, and already seeing some get picked up, has been like celebrating Christmas morning as a child. 

It's a hopeful start to the year.

I plan to continue celebrating Women in Horror no matter the day, month, or year. It's a part of me for forever now. When you meet me for the first time, horror films or books, almost always come up in conversation. I sometimes stalk Reddit posts and share women voices among all the Stephen King and John Carpenter lovers. I will continue to write for The Coda and hopefully sometime in the future, I will help to share female filmmakers to Arizona audiences again.

Women in Horror Month is a phoenix. It will never die. It will only continue to rise.