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One of the basic premises of Clover ’ s theory is that audience identification is unstable and fluid across gender lines, particularly in the case of the slasher film.

During the final girl ’ s confrontation with the killer, Clover argues, she becomes masculinized through " phallic appropriation " by taking up a weapon, such as a knife or chainsaw, against the killer.

Conversely, Clover points out that the villain of slasher films is often a male whose masculinity, and sexuality more generally, are in crisis.

An example would be Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.

Clover points to this gender fluidity as demonstrating the impact of feminism in popular culture.