Dark Overtones 101: It Follows with Professor Leslie Hahner and Professor Scott Varda

CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of rape and sexual violence is prevalent throughout this episode.In the first real episode of Dark Overtones, Kurt is joined by two communication professors from Baylor University, Leslie Hahner and Scott Varda, to discuss It Follows. Countless articles on It Follows interpreted it as a story about STDs/STIs; but Hahner and Varda have a different interpretation - one that highlights the sexual violence that perpetuates the curse and the trauma of those affected. In this discussion, we dive into how "It" can be much darker than it seems upon first watch...Dr. Leslie Hahner is a Professor in the Department of Communication at Baylor University, where she researches how different texts (including horror films) intersect with pop culture and help us interpret the world around us. You can visit her faculty page here.Dr. Scott Varda is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, also at Baylor University. Scott researchers how movies can shape our cultural understanding of race, class, gender, and other social categories. His faculty page is also available, and you can find it here.The article this episode is based on can be found in Volume 40, Issue 3 of the journal Women's Studies in Communication. The full article citation is:Hahner, L., & Varda, S. (2017). It Follows and rape culture: Critical response as disavowal. Women's Studies in Communication, 40(3), 251-269.