**”Nightbitch” Confronts Taboos Surrounding Motherhood, Body Hair, and Menstruation**

Marielle Heller’s *Nightbitch*, featuring Amy Adams, explores the visceral, instinctual facets of motherhood. Based on Rachel Yoder’s novel, the film chronicles the journey of Mother (Adams) as she experiences a transformation both physical and emotional, taking on dog-like characteristics that symbolize her inner conflict. This darkly comedic narrative about motherhood illustrates the primal fury and solitude that many women face in a patriarchal world.

The film highlights the misogyny that confronts women during the early stages of motherhood and after. Adams embodies a mother who struggles with feelings of isolation and embarrassment while caring for a young child, emotions her mostly unavailable Husband (Scoot McNairy) is unable to grasp. His “weaponized incompetence” intensifies her challenges, drawing attention to the societal expectations for women to bear the responsibilities of parenting on their own.

### Challenging Taboos Around Women’s Bodies

One of *Nightbitch*’s most groundbreaking elements is its candid representation of female bodies, including body hair and menstruation. The film breaks down societal taboos, applauding the natural transformations women endure through motherhood, menstruation, and hormonal changes.

#### Accepting Body Hair

At the film’s outset, Mother observes long hairs sprouting on her chin. Rather than reacting in revulsion—a typical expectation from society—she embraces this alteration as part of her metamorphosis. This scene is both straightforward and metaphorical, as Mother’s physical transformation into a dog reflects her rejection of conventional beauty norms. She even joyfully extracts a tail from a boil on her body, welcoming her new existence.

Director Marielle Heller and Adams deliberately approached this transformation with a sense of “euphoria.” Adams even allowed her own “whiskers” to grow for the part, adopting what she called a “radical acceptance of change.” This representation confronts the harmful notion that women must maintain hairlessness to be seen as feminine, presenting a refreshing viewpoint on body hair as an innate aspect of womanhood.

#### Importance of Representation

The portrayal of facial hair in *Nightbitch* is particularly important for women with conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), where increased hair growth is prevalent. Studies indicate that 80% of women with PCOS experience this symptom, yet societal stigma often leaves them feeling embarrassed. Rachel Morman, a trustee of the UK PCOS charity Verity, believes this representation can be life-changing.

“Representing a natural and common issue like chin hair growth can be impactful and affirming,” Morman states. “It sheds light on an often concealed or stigmatized aspect of women’s experiences, prompting society to reconsider their views and biases.”

For women like the article’s author, who dealt with self-doubt about body hair due to PCOS, witnessing Adams embrace her character’s transformation was empowering. It confronted the shame and stigma propagated by societal beauty ideals, offering a more inclusive and affirming narrative.

PCOS advocate Harnaam Kaur, who has welcomed her facial hair since she was 16, highlights the importance of this representation. “The discomfort around women and body hair is frequently rooted in standards dictating what is ‘feminine’ or ‘acceptable,’” she observes. “The display of body hair on screen serves as a reminder that there’s nothing shameful, which is tremendously potent.”

#### Hollywood’s Hairless Legacy

For years, Hollywood has reinforced unattainable beauty ideals, frequently depicting women as devoid of hair. While there has been some advancement—Salma Hayek showcased a mustache for her role as Frida Kahlo, and Kate Winslet donned a merkin in *The Reader*—the bulk of films still conform to Western standards of femininity. This continued lack of authenticity perpetuates damaging expectations, making films like *Nightbitch* critically essential in challenging the status quo.

### Normalizing Menstrual Blood

Alongside body hair, *Nightbitch* also addresses the stigma surrounding menstrual blood. In one moment, Mother showers as blood flows down her legs, a scene disrupted by her Husband inquiring about the lack of milk in their home. Her sharp reply—asserting the need for sanitary products—emphasizes the mental load women often manage in relationships.

Heller deliberately included this scene to normalize menstruation on screen. Known for challenging taboos, she previously portrayed hymen blood in her directorial debut, *The Diary of a Teenage Girl*. Heller’s technique recontextualizes these bodily processes as ordinary and unremarkable, rather than startling or shameful.

In recent times, menstrual blood has become more prevalent in media. Michaela Coel’s *I May Destroy You* includes a scene where a sexual partner curiously removes a tampon rather than recoiling in disgust. Similarly, *The Queen’s Gambit* depicts Anya Taylor-Joy’s character escaping a chess match with blood trailing down her leg.