You know I'm not fan of Twilight, but nor am I a fan of this (or most other) Twilight-bashing articles, for the very reason pointed out in the article you linked:
It’s understandable, and even a little disturbing that we expect women to be ashamed of having these kinds of sexual fantasies. After all, no one who has even an ounce of sophistication would deny that men have a right to watch all sorts of trashy porn without their general good taste being questioned.
As long as no one raises an eyebrow about James Bond or the countless tidal wave of Marty Stu male protagonists, then it's sexism plain and simple to demand answers and analysis for why women like Twilight. Many men like trashy absurd escapist fantasy. Many women do too. The very existence of articles like this, dissing women for liking this schlock reinforces the idea that women must explain and justify their desires, while men get free reign. Fuck that. =/
Secondly, the article criticizes the lack of sex: In many romance novels, the sex is based around coercion, if not outright rape. In “Twilight”, there just isn’t sex.
A lot of erotica for women I’ve read avoids the infantilizing trap, and centers around female characters who know what they want and go get it.
Considering that first admission that sex is often a painful leverage tool about power plays that put men in the driver seat, why criticize Twilight for avoiding that realm altogether? What if waiting for sex is what the character wants?
The article author wants to see "female characters who know what they want and go get it", but what if they don't want sex?
I'm depressed by this idea that chaste girls are repressed and must be liberated. Only sexually active women are liberated. There are plenty of reasons why a woman might chose to postpone sex (or choose satisfying masturbation over unsatisfying sex). This notion that only sexually active women are liberated and chastity is worthy of ridicule really sickens me. Just as much as the feminists who think all women should be in the workforce and not choose to be homemakers. That very idea that "We know what you women need more than you do" smacks of misogyny whether it comes from men or feminists.
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It’s understandable, and even a little disturbing that we expect women to be ashamed of having these kinds of sexual fantasies. After all, no one who has even an ounce of sophistication would deny that men have a right to watch all sorts of trashy porn without their general good taste being questioned.
As long as no one raises an eyebrow about James Bond or the countless tidal wave of Marty Stu male protagonists, then it's sexism plain and simple to demand answers and analysis for why women like Twilight. Many men like trashy absurd escapist fantasy. Many women do too. The very existence of articles like this, dissing women for liking this schlock reinforces the idea that women must explain and justify their desires, while men get free reign. Fuck that. =/
Secondly, the article criticizes the lack of sex:
In many romance novels, the sex is based around coercion, if not outright rape. In “Twilight”, there just isn’t sex.
A lot of erotica for women I’ve read avoids the infantilizing trap, and centers around female characters who know what they want and go get it.
Considering that first admission that sex is often a painful leverage tool about power plays that put men in the driver seat, why criticize Twilight for avoiding that realm altogether? What if waiting for sex is what the character wants?
The article author wants to see "female characters who know what they want and go get it", but what if they don't want sex?
I'm depressed by this idea that chaste girls are repressed and must be liberated. Only sexually active women are liberated. There are plenty of reasons why a woman might chose to postpone sex (or choose satisfying masturbation over unsatisfying sex). This notion that only sexually active women are liberated and chastity is worthy of ridicule really sickens me. Just as much as the feminists who think all women should be in the workforce and not choose to be homemakers. That very idea that "We know what you women need more than you do" smacks of misogyny whether it comes from men or feminists.