Feminism in True Crime Communities
From celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Mindy Kaling to students like myself, women across the country are creating community and sharing interest in true crime. Previously, women used to only be able to locate themselves in the role of victim. Men told stories of masculinized violence to a perceived audience of other men. But since women have begun reclaiming these narratives, the experience of delving into true crime has become a feminist practice that holds the potential to empower targets and victims.
I grew up reading my mother’s Nancy Drew novels and later obsessed over Agatha Christie’s works. My obsession with crime started early and innocently. Looking back, I see how my interest was founded in women’s narratives with writers like Carolyn Keene (aka Mildred Benson) and Christie. Now I read Ann Rule and listen to women-hosted podcasts that explore murder. It’s hard to pinpoint first what drew me to these stories. To this day, I don’t enjoy gore or excessive violence - I can barely stomach a horror movie. The gender studies student in me wants to believe that I was fascinated by expressions of toxic and violent masculinity.
True crime is a study of gendered violence. Statistics report that 90.8% of serial killers are men (www.statisticbrain.com). Other recent data suggests that men make up 80.4% of those arrested for violent crime in the United States (en.wikipedia.org). Though murder victim rates are much more evenly distributed, women still remain primary targets for gendered violence. For example, it is reported that nearly 1 in 5 women experience sexual assault while on a college campus (www.nsvrc.org). Toxic masculinity threatens everyone regardless of gender. However it targets women and trans/nonbinary people, in particular. Thus, feminist interest in true crime is tied to survival.
from Bitchesgetstitchdone on Etsy; quote by Karen kilgariff, My favorite murder
How can a fascination and interaction with this gendered violence be a space for feminist community? Here I turn to two imperfect women who have reclaimed true crime narratives and built community around this engagement: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Karen and Georgia co-host the podcast My Favorite Murder. They combine humor, irreverent language, genuine vulnerability, and stories of violence to craft empowering narratives that give visibility to victims and equip listeners (ciswomen, in particular) to navigate a world of gendered violence.
People socialized as women are taught to prioritize the maintenance of other people’s feelings and what is considered polite over their own discomfort or gut instincts of danger. This phenomenon is something that Karen and Georgia name and critique. In response to it, they advise listeners to “fuck politeness”. This sharp stance validates feelings of discomfort (especially those of women) and thus re-conceptualizes this intuition as valuable and of priority. While subtle, claiming this abrasive, inappropriate language further supports the overall attitude of feminine irreverence that feels distinctly feminist on the show.
Another trademark of My Favorite Murder is the humor that both Karen and Georgia bring to each episode. One might think that comedy does not belong in the same space as stories of murder, but Karen and Georgia are quick to explain that humor is a coping mechanism for them both. Sometimes, smiling and laughing can be a way to live in a world with gendered violence. The humor introduced by the hosts makes the experience of listening to murders explained in devastating detail a little more human. Further, humor has been a way that Karen and Georgia have built community. In the same way, while the show is sometimes billed as lazy or disorganized, the casual and exposed nature of the show brings about a sense of vulnerability that fosters a sense of community as well. Whether it’s Karen describing her struggle with addiction, Georgia talking about past and present experiences with severe depression, or the two of them making listeners and themselves laugh, the hosts are subtly but constantly reminding us all of our own humanity. I consider this affirmation to be a feminist act.
The show’s sign-off line (“Stay Sexy, Don’t Get Murdered”) is also worth unpacking. This statement is full of meaning, however simply crafted it may be. The line affirms Karen and Georgia’s staunch anti-victim-blaming stance. It is a send-off that wishes safety to listeners with the cue (“stay sexy”) that staying safe is not something that should require one to change their life. Too often, women victims (in particular) are blamed for dressing in a way that “invites” assault. Karen and Georgia’s statement rejects the idea that someone should have to change their appearance or their behavior in order to avoid violence.
My Favorite Murder is not the be-all-end-all of feminist true crime spaces/communities. In fact, the podcast consistently receives critique for the hosts’ word choice, criminal justice stances, and exclusion of certain victim narratives. To Karen and Georgia’s credit, sometimes this criticism is taken and changes are made. However, the two still remain representative of a white, middle-upper class feminism that has always excluded other feminists (namely, qtpoc). They have a lot of work ahead of them and seem to be having trouble navigating their own white fragility and the scope of their platform.
So what feminist work needs to be done within true crime communities? Feminist activists call for increased visibility of non-white, non-cis victims. There is also a need to reconsider state violence as just as, or more, damaging than interpersonal violence; this implicates prisons, jails, detention centers, and police as harmful sites of power rather than enforcers of justice. A feminist approach to true crime calls enthusiasts to envision a world in which gendered violence (state or individual) is not a reality and asks us how we get there.
On the way will be community-making, discussions, activism, and more true crime sharing. This starts with feminist enthusiasts (like myself) who want to consider violence and its implications. So if you are pouring over the details of the OJ case and trial, or considering deeply every possible scenario of the JonBenét murder, or devouring Ann Rule books, do it with the attention of a true crime enthusiast and the radical imagination of a feminist. The two go hand in hand.
Recommended:
White Women Need to Do Better: The Death of “My Favorite Murder” (article)
My Favorite Murder Podcast (podcast)
The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule (book)
Works Consulted:
https://culturess.com/2017/01/02/10-times-favorite-murder-super-feminist-loved/
http://www.statisticbrain.com/serial-killer-statistics-and-demographics/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_differences_in_crime