I'll be honest, OK? I used to love Twilight. I thought that the entire series was wonderful, describing it to people as Harry Potter for girls. It was such a fantasy, reading how an ordinary, nothing-special girl becomes to object of affection and desire for a beautiful, kind, sensitive vampire. Bella Swan and Edward Cullen get into adventures; they are completely chaste; they love each other; and now, they make me sick.
When I read the books the first time, I thought it was romantic and lovely. The idea of being in love, all-consuming love, appeals to a lot of people, and I was one of them. However, even when I was in the thrall of "will they, won't they" with the story, I was bothered by Bella and Edward's relationship. I didn't like that Bella could only think about Edward, only wanted to be with Edward, didn't want anything other than Edward. If Edward was a normal guy instead of an exciting vampire, wouldn't people think that it was unhealthy for Bella to be so consumed?
This entire series makes overly dependent, emotionally and psychologically abusive relationships seem romantic and desirable. When a girl gets dumped, she has every right to wallow. But, in response to the wave of fan frenzy for the film version of New Moon, when the dumpee tries to do harm to herself to get the dumper's attention, when she is a shell of her former self, that's not wallowing; it's self-destruction. These books and films make unhealthy relationships seem cool. Now, every fan, or "Twi-hard," thinks that that kind of behavior is acceptable and, horror of horrors, the ideal.
Personally, I am ready for a tween/teen story that has a strong female. I don't expect for a fictional character to be perfect, but I do expect a role model. What if, when Edward (spoiler alert) leaves Bella, she decided to study abroad to expand her horizons? Or took up motorcycle riding, not to try to get Edward's attention, but because she, guess what, liked it? I'm ready for a heroine who isn't defined by her relationships to men. Aren't we all?
