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Women's Studies Department teaches you why 'Twilight' is Retarded

Posted by Superheidi | Sat, October 23 2010

California State University at San Marcos and their Women's Studies department are offering the ultimate Twilight college course.

The actual class:

Quote:

Topics in Women’s Studies: Twilight: The Text and the Fandom

Examines the Twilight saga and the resulting fandom. Explores Twlight in relation to the social and cultural construction of gender and gendered identities in contemporary U.S. culture. Using an intersectional lens emphasizing gender, race, class, sexuality, and belief, provides students with the conceptual and analytical foundations to think more deeply about popular culture and its impact. Covers vampire lore, the romantic core of the series, female characters and fans, the depiction of men and masculinity, religious contexts, race and white privilege, the franchising of Twilight, and various cultural contexts such as abstinence only education and the rise of internet fandoms.

Pretttty neat that they're addressing the 'white privilege' thing, and the 'don't fuck vampires' issue, too. I wonder, though, if any real Twilight fans want their hopes and dreams dashed by an intelligent professor analysing and picking apart, piecemeal, the Mormon-infused, uneducated, pedophil-ish ravings of a sexually unsatisfied stay-at-home mom who fantasizes about what real love might actually feel like since she has no idea. Not pretty.

San Marcos is a great town - except for all the damn vampires.

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Sat, 10/23/2010 - 14:43

Private J.V. Vasquez

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That is awesome, you know what would be funny if some twilight fans took the course.

"Noooo you totally didn't get what Stephenie was trying to say Bella is a total feminist because Bella gets to choose so that's totally feminist!"

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Sat, 10/23/2010 - 17:40

Chris McMillan

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Sorry to offer the opposing opinion, but do we really need a college course to tell us that the Twilight Saga sucks?

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Sat, 10/23/2010 - 17:56

Hans

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Chris McMillan wrote:

Sorry to offer the opposing opinion, but do we really need a college course to tell us that the Twilight Saga sucks?

Seems like it justifies its existence in a way. Not to mention that it means Twilight is worthy of academic study. The professor is going to have immerse him or herself into the world of all things Twilight novel, film, graphic novel, board game, lunchbox. Stephenie must love it.

Are the Twilight novels (shudder) text books now?

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Sat, 10/23/2010 - 18:56

Ms.Mordant

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While I agree that probably the best way for Twilight to fade away into obscurity is to pay as little attention to it as possible I am pleased if not about the creation of an entire Twilight course, at least a class that will focus on what it is really doing to society.

I think we do need a course to tell people Twilight sucks and why because maybe then someone will listen. I'm talking about the parents and siblings and teachers and all the other authority figures in the lives of these young girls who are obsessed with this series who don't see any harm in allowing the obsession to continue, or even encouraging it because "hey- at least the kids are reading." Maybe if some articles were published or some local news covered the story as a filler or they see it online these people will realize how truly negative and downright damaging these books and movies are.

Yes I'm sure it will be interesting and fun to scrutinize the issues in the books like social status, race, abstinence, religious connotations, (and the fact that it really is very poorly written when you get right down to it) and so on, but what I want is for parents to get their kids to stop reading this crap and read something empowering for women, something that demonstrates healthy friendships and relationships, something that doesn't encourage acceptance of abusive, controlling behavior and sexual assault!

Last night on Supernatural the episode was called "Live Free or Twi-hard" (it was freaking hilarious by the way) and the character Dean Winchester said something that I thought was dead-on:

"He's watching her sleep- how is that not rape-y?!?"

Bizactly!! That part was hella creepy and Bella acts all flattered. Oh, it's so sweet he's been crawling into my room every night for months and watching me while I sleep... It's not sweet you moron, it's stalking!! Stalking is a Felony in Washington. FELONY- NOT FOREPLAY! How am I the only chick I know who comes to this conclusion? If it was just some guy who didn't freaking sparkle in the sun would it still be as cute? How about if he snatches a pair of your undies on his way out- still romantic?

Sorry- bit of a tirade there. I'm back.
Anyway I think you get my point.

As an unrelated side note: the fact that this was made into a "comic book"...that it crossed over and infected a medium very dear to me and made fucking Twi-tards invade MY comic book shop, not to mention what it's done to cons...if I could light things on fire with my mind I'd go all Guy Montag before his quest for meaning in life!

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Sat, 10/23/2010 - 18:58

Ms.Mordant

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Moonbutterfly7 wrote:

That is awesome, you know what would be funny if some twilight fans took the course.

"Noooo you totally didn't get what Stephenie was trying to say Bella is a total feminist because Bella gets to choose so that's totally feminist!"

But I thought feminists couldn't shave their legs??

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Sat, 10/23/2010 - 20:31

Thomwade

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Ms.Mordant wrote:

"He's watching her sleep- how is that not rape-y?!?"

When Buffy had this scenario in the 90's, it was a sign of just how creepy and dangerous the observer was.

Sat, 10/23/2010 - 20:34

Private J.V. Vasquez

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They can hahah you know what's even more hilarious I found this site talking about her.

http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org/?p=1972

I had no idea such people existed, and some of them don't even like her lol here is a quote

This book is everything that is wrong with teenage girls. It reinforces some terrible ideas that being;

1. You don’t need to really develop yourself as a woman, you just an intelligent, interesting, handsome guy to LOVE you.

2. Getting married at the age of 19 is a GREAT idea, if he really loves you.

3. You can get what ever you want as long as you will it hard enough- the rules don’t apply to you, they apply to everyone else. You’re SPECIAL.

I have a hard time seeing how women consider them feminists love a series of books where the main character- a woman has nothing to offer the world aside from that a man loves her.

I don't agree with getting married at 19 I knew of a lot of people doing that and that shit didn't work

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Mon, 10/25/2010 - 12:49

Superheidi

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Moonbutterfly7 wrote:

This book is everything that is wrong with teenage girls. It reinforces some terrible ideas that being;

1. You don’t need to really develop yourself as a woman, you just an intelligent, interesting, handsome guy to LOVE you.

2. Getting married at the age of 19 is a GREAT idea, if he really loves you.

3. You can get what ever you want as long as you will it hard enough- the rules don’t apply to you, they apply to everyone else. You’re SPECIAL.

I have a hard time seeing how women consider them feminists love a series of books where the main character- a woman has nothing to offer the world aside from that a man loves her.

Dude, I'm so happy that there are Mormon housewives out there who seem to have a brain. Way too many romantic comedies already give the message to a woman that a man will come along and save her, take care of her, make her better, make her worthwhile, instead of encouraging them to make their OWN lives good by making themselves worthwhile people through hard work, cultivating intelligence and experiences, moral decisions and personal strength. Now fantasy like Twilight is starting to take away the 'heroine on a journey' adventure and turn into 'heroine finds true love. the end.' Imagine the disappointment so many women discover when they finally figure out NO MAN can 'make' you happy; and imagine the pressure on men to fulfill this impossible fantasy. It is essential for equality between the sexes that women be taught that they don't NEED a man to be happy and worthwhile, but that they can make each other happy through being the best people they can be. Anything else just makes people unequal and forces power on the man and takes it away from the woman.

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Tue, 10/26/2010 - 03:34

Ms.Mordant

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I so greatly enjoy your commentary. You know, when I actually GET your commentary H)

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Thu, 10/28/2010 - 19:24

#10

Julie Kerr

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This class sounds interesting to me.

I agree with everybody as to why the movie sends a bad message. I think romance gets too romanticized by Hollywood in general. I mean if there was a movie about a lady vampire fighting with a lady werewolf over which one of them gets to date a lady nerd...then...oh...now I get why Twilight's so popular...um...

But, still Twilight sends a bad message. I agree.

Twilight takes itself so seriously and then the fans take it soo seriously. I think that's where the negative message gets seeped in by the young, impressionable audience.

Young women need better entertainment options than this.

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