Over at my New Critics posting of my review of Twilight, David Ehrenstein makes a wise observation:
It's the perfect romantic fantasy for fag-hags of all ages. He's young, he's beautiful, he's "sentitive," he's "not like the other boys," because he "respects" you. For it's "too dangerous" for him to "go there" (ie. "YOU COULD GET AIDS!") But isn't it lovely to think about it and NOT do it?
Since Anne Rice, I've come to believe that "Vampire" does actually mean "gay"... but I hadn't applied it to Twilight. Now I just feel worse about what it's telling a generation of teen girls...
Sample of one, here: having been a teenage girl, I don't think it's
a "fag hag" thing, but a sense of safety (as you suss out your sexuality via fictional characters)in finding out where *your* limits are (not just his).
So much sexual energy in this culture exists solely for the pleasure of the male eye that any arena in which a teenage girl can see herself--if sex is to happen at all--as being in charge of it, is both freedom and relief; fantasizing about the pretty boys can be a way to find your own level of true consent.
Posted by: lola | November 25, 2008 at 06:43 PM