What Sexy Vampire Ladies Can Tell Us About Society

There are few beliefs in human society as pervasive as "men strong, women weak".  Whether we're talking about mind, body or spirit; whether it was Europe, Africa or Asia; whether it was a thousand years ago or fifty, the prevailing opinion has been that men are better than women. Fortunately, in the year of some people's Lord 2024, we have completely eradicated sexism. In celebration of this fact, I'd like to take us back to a simpler time--the ancient year of 1871.

"Carmilla" by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu is one of my absolute favorite books. It is beautifully written, with descriptions that manage to be eloquent and succinct at the same time. But perhaps its most interesting quality is how it showcases the progress (and in some cases, the lack of progress) of our societal attitudes towards women.

The protagonist, Laura, befriends a beautiful girl who was left in her father's care when her carriage crashed outside their schloss (German for castle). But Laura has never had a single other friend in her entire life, so she doesn’t notice this and they become fast friends.