I received a link this morning to an opinion piece titled, “The Harsh Bigotry of Twilight-Haters: Why is it that female fantasy is so derided and feared?” with a request to write a response on my blog. Given I had already said my piece about Twilight at the New Sensuality, I thought to discard the link. Unfortunately, the title already had me hooked.
What irony that the article’s author, Erika Christakis, uses the very argument people make against Twilight to condemn them. She writes,
The negative reactions fall in two camps: The dismissive camp simply mocks Twilight’s incorporation of silly, “moony” elements like undying love and the surprisingly authentic portrayal of wedding ritual, honeymoon jitters and the shock of unintended pregnancy; the topics are apparently too boring and unrelatable for most reviewers. The deluded camp, conversely, takes Twilight far too seriously, faulting it for leading young girls to mistake fantasy for reality in dangerous, disempowering ways.
Here, the author suggests that those who disapprove of Twilight are either dismissive or deluded, offering a ridiculous list of “elements” we “haters” find too “moony.” (Could someone please define “moony” for me? My vocabulary is unsophisticated.) Apparently, I mock undying love, realistic weddings, honeymoon jitters, and the shock of unintended pregnancy. Ms. Christakis, if you would like to read about a truly shocking unintended pregnancy, please read my erotic horror, The Darkness and the Night: Blood and Coffee—and perhaps you might hold Karen’s hand at the abortion clinic while she contemplates terminating the monster she is sure to give birth to.
Christakis describes those of us who disagree with the dynamics between Bella and Edward as “deluded,” adding,
Maybe part of the reason critics deplore these movies is not only because they are so unfamiliar with kooky heterosexual female fantasies but also because they don’t really like what these fantasies say about men.
What people like this author don’t seem to get is the problem is not with kooky heterosexual fantasies (fantasies are good); it’s about characters that are so despicably misogynistic that one can’t help but cringe when made to think about them. The problem isn’t with “undying love, realistic weddings, honeymoon jitters, and the shock of unintended pregnancy;” the problem is with Edward’s violent temper (very reminiscent of a spouse abuser), with Bella’s utter dependence upon a male figure in her life for safety and purpose. Author Kathryn Sirls wrote this thoughtful opinion piece on the references to spousal abuse in Twilight.
In closing, I would like to make it clear for the last time: “Twilight-haters” have a problem with abusive Edward, defenseless and dependent Bella, and all of the other messed up dynamics Meyers somehow makes okay. That’s it. End of story.
What irony that the article’s author, Erika Christakis, uses the very argument people make against Twilight to condemn them. She writes,
The negative reactions fall in two camps: The dismissive camp simply mocks Twilight’s incorporation of silly, “moony” elements like undying love and the surprisingly authentic portrayal of wedding ritual, honeymoon jitters and the shock of unintended pregnancy; the topics are apparently too boring and unrelatable for most reviewers. The deluded camp, conversely, takes Twilight far too seriously, faulting it for leading young girls to mistake fantasy for reality in dangerous, disempowering ways.
Here, the author suggests that those who disapprove of Twilight are either dismissive or deluded, offering a ridiculous list of “elements” we “haters” find too “moony.” (Could someone please define “moony” for me? My vocabulary is unsophisticated.) Apparently, I mock undying love, realistic weddings, honeymoon jitters, and the shock of unintended pregnancy. Ms. Christakis, if you would like to read about a truly shocking unintended pregnancy, please read my erotic horror, The Darkness and the Night: Blood and Coffee—and perhaps you might hold Karen’s hand at the abortion clinic while she contemplates terminating the monster she is sure to give birth to.
Christakis describes those of us who disagree with the dynamics between Bella and Edward as “deluded,” adding,
Maybe part of the reason critics deplore these movies is not only because they are so unfamiliar with kooky heterosexual female fantasies but also because they don’t really like what these fantasies say about men.
What people like this author don’t seem to get is the problem is not with kooky heterosexual fantasies (fantasies are good); it’s about characters that are so despicably misogynistic that one can’t help but cringe when made to think about them. The problem isn’t with “undying love, realistic weddings, honeymoon jitters, and the shock of unintended pregnancy;” the problem is with Edward’s violent temper (very reminiscent of a spouse abuser), with Bella’s utter dependence upon a male figure in her life for safety and purpose. Author Kathryn Sirls wrote this thoughtful opinion piece on the references to spousal abuse in Twilight.
In closing, I would like to make it clear for the last time: “Twilight-haters” have a problem with abusive Edward, defenseless and dependent Bella, and all of the other messed up dynamics Meyers somehow makes okay. That’s it. End of story.
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