A reader recently wrote in to direct our attention to an article titled "Enough With The Twilight Media Fan Bashing Antics Already." The reader noted that we are, in fact, a part of the sparkly vampire haterade problem.
Writer Amanda Bell of the Twilight Examiner claims that industry types are attaching an unnecessary amount of snark to pieces regarding the Twilight franchise, adding bratty little asides to what should be a straightforward relay of information: "While most of the reputable entertainment outlets in the business of presenting Twilight media are not quite as guilty of this, many other staff writers feel the need to pander, condescend, and to otherwise insult those who they hope most will read their articles and traffic their sites - the fans."
Our reader agreed with Bell, noting that we should perhaps consider being kinder to the Twilight crew, as it is a "a huge phenomena powered by women." At first, I felt a little guilty about slapping a "sparkly vampire" tag to several Twilight related pieces, but after thinking about it for a while, I realized that this outrage over having an opinion that is anything but positive re: Twilight is the real problem with Twilight fans (or Twihards, or Twilighters, or what have you.) Make a Harry Potter joke, and HP fans will giggle. Say something stupid about Gandalf, and LOTR fans will laugh. Star Trek and Star Wars fans have been the butt of jokes (many of them created lovingly by hardcore fans) for years, but maintain a sense of humor about their fandom.
The Twilighters, however, seem to think that we should not have an opinion on the series unless it's sunshine and lollipops. Here are a few Twilighter comments from said article:
Karla says:
Thank you. Just because the series is popular does not mean that it is not good. THIS IS WHY ALL AGES LIKE THIS SERIES. I am a graduate of journalism and I was taught to research what I should write and not base it on any assumptions. Besides, just because Twilight struck a cord by actually showing the "never will or hard to admit desire of every girl/woman's heart," doesn't mean that it should be condemned with such accusations such as the story encourages lack of feminism/dependency on another to be happy. The truth is, Bella, despite the mistakes that she made, actually showed feminism by showing and doing how she really felt. Feminism isn't about being better than the opposite sex. It is about being able to do what you want.
August 21, 9:02 AM
Ah! But Karla assumes that we do not know that women of all ages read the series. Thanks for clearing up feminism, though. I'm glad a book about a control-freak boyfriend showed you the way.
Chelsea says:
THANK YOU.It's bad enough when random commenters start bashing, but professional writers? That's completely out of line.
August 20, 6:44 PM
Translation: It is totes out of line for profesh writers to have any opinion that does not match up with MINE.
Cnprpl says:
Here! Here! Amanda, thank you for speaking out!I am 42, married for 21 years, mother to 2, hold several degrees and absolutely adore both the Twilight Saga and HP (yes you can love both!). I'm not a squeeling teen fangirl.
Jealousy is much of the driving force behind the criticisms of the fandom. Whether the critics covet the fame, the good looks or the attention lavished on the authors and actors doesn't seem to matter. The envy reveals itself in the pettiness and gross generalizations that these "journalists" use to make themselves feel better. It's sad & truly deserving of our pity. Throughout history, whenever someone or something gains a following, angry & lonely people cry foul. It's not new - just faster & more vitriolic with the advent of better media technology.
I agree - if you have nothing nice to say please keep quiet. So I'll say something nice. My heart goes out to those unfortunate souls who don't have something they love the way we love our Twilight
August 20, 2:10 AM
So, you see, if you don't like Twilight, it's not because you're concerned with the underlying themes, the obsessiveness of the fans, or the actual writing and plot lines, it's because YOUR JUST JEALOUSSSSS.
Valerie says:
Thank you Amanda for saying how we all feel! I am a 40 something mom of a 17 year old girl and we LOVE Twilight. I resent the fact that most of the writers that choose to spew their venom at Twilighters classify us as teenaged fan girls rather than the diverse universe of PEOPLE that enjoy this fictional world. My husband has even become a fan and has read the books twice. He went with me to 15 times to see the film before it was released on DVD. What the writers seem to miss, ironically, is that we love the story that unfolds in Twilight. Perhaps if they spent more time writing about what they enjoy the world would be a happier place. I appreciate you lifting your voice up for all of us.
August 20, 4:59 PM
"We are not obsessive! My husband even reads them! He finally submitted after 15 VIEWINGS AT THE LOCAL MOVIE THEATER OMG WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SERIOUS THIS IS A RECESSION THAT IS ROUGHLY 300 BUCKS ON TWILIGHT TICKETS HOLY CRAP.
Sorry. I had to get at least one in.
Look. When I poke fun at Edward Cullen or Twilight fans, it's pretty clear that I'm doing so at the expense of the obsessives. I can understand why Twilight fans take it personally; anyone who has ever been a fan of anything knows that feeling well— the defensiveness that comes along when someone tries to bash something you love. But to state that writers can't have an opinion on Twilight is a bit much, and trying to brush off legitimate criticism of the novels, especially in regards to the messages they send young girls, as the work of "haters" isn't doing much for your cause. So let's let twygones be twygones, people: the world is a rather unsparkly place if you can't laugh a little at the things you claim to love.
Enough With The Twilight Fan-Bashing Media Antics Already [Examiner]