You know what I love about Teen Wolf? The fact that it actually addresses the issue of rape culture. And not in some clunky after school special sort of way. Just in a “this is a bad thing that exists” sort of way. I have never seen a show do this before. Ever.

Let’s talk about the ghost of Peter Hale in 2x07.

He smiles as if he’s harmless — just some cute guy who is flirting with Lydia. But the way he flirts is kind of rapey and not cool. In any other show, this kind of flirting would be dismissed as “normal.” But not in Teen Wolf. In Teen Wolf this kind of flirting is foreshadowing to the fact that this boy is EVIL. 

Psychopath on a killing spree EVIL.

The world teaches girls not to say the word “no” outright. And Teen Wolf understands this. Teen Wolf understands how problematic it is. Teen Wolf makes it clear that guys don’t actually need to hear the word “no” outright to know when a girl means no. A good guy listens to your “no,” even when that “no” is subtext, even when it’s implied, even when it’s phrased as a “maybe.” Only a rapist will treat an implied “no” as if it’s a yes.

Only an actual evil person will treat an implied “no” as if it’s a yes. Like, for example, murderous psychopath Peter Hale.

I love that Stiles doesn’t trust Matt. Because Mattthecameraguy is creepy. He steals information off Allison’s iPad and obsessively photographs her and there’s just something off about that guy, okay. Stiles doesn’t understand why everyone doesn’t understand this.

I love the scene in 2x08 when Matt kisses Allison. She tells him it’s okay, even though it isn’t, because rape culture dictates that a girl should never let a guy feel rejected. She tells him it’s okay, and then after a moment of reflection, she catches herself. She realizes what she’s doing.

She realizes she has every right to reject this boy. She realizes in the middle of apologizing for saying “no” that she doesn’t have to. That she shouldn’t  apologize for saying “no.” That she won’t. She turns around and tells him it’s not okay. Because Allison has more important things to do with her time than soothe Mattthecameraguy’s delicate male ego.

This, you guys.

This is why Jeff Davis is a gift.

See also: MOAR Feminist Subtext in Teen Wolf