Bite Me: Why are Teenage Girls So Obsessed with Vampires?
When I was a kid, it was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Now, it’s Twilight. Why are teenage girls so hooked on vampires?
When I was in seventh grade, all of my friends crowded around the lunch table and talked about how Angel, the vampire with a soul, was destined to be their husband. Disgusted by their mainstream interests, I refused to respond to these comments. I kept thinking, “Why? Why vampires?”
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Today, girls are more taken with vampires than ever, with questions being asked on Yahoo! Answers, like, “Why can’t every guy be like Edward Cullen on Twilight?” Seriously? I’ll tell you why. Because he doesn’t exist.
I was never interested in vampires. I enjoyed the Harry Potter series, but moved onto adult books before Twilight came out. Now, at twenty, I aim to write books for teenage girls. But I have one hurdle to get over: I will not write about vampires. Teenage girls who I’ve talked to for research tell me that I have to write about vampires. But I refuse to end up as a spinoff author of a much more successful series. I also won’t write about an academy of wizards, a bunch of kids on the Upper East Side, or, for that matter, a teenager named Holden Caulfield. I won’t write about anything that’s already been done to great success. It’s practically plagiarism. But are teenage girls willing to read anything that isn’t about vampires, and more importantly, why do they love vampires so much?
These days, more and more teenage girls are remaining virgins. I don’t know the sociological reason for this, but when I was younger, I had a sixteen-year-old friend who was terrified of not losing her virginity until college. Girls would make fun of other girls who were still virgins. Nowadays, teenagers seem more proud of their virginity, perhaps with celebrities like the Jonas Brothers wearing purity rings coming into play. But as a result, Twilight, which is an allegory for teenage abstinence, is taking off like a rocket. These teenagers who are so proud of their purity are just as tempted by the idea of sex as a teenager who is already having it. It’s mysterious, it’s forbidden, and therefore they can’t really read about it. Although apparently sex is written about in Twilight, it doesn’t come in until later in the series. Most of the books revolve around temptation and…you guessed it…vampires.
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Vampires are an explicit representation of sex. Especially with blood-borne diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C, the blood aspect of vampirism is especially dangerous and titillating. The neck, an erogenous zone, is focused on, and the concept of becoming a vampire once you are bitten is like deflowering–once you give someone your virginity, you are also a nonvirgin, or in other words, a “vampire”. Now you crave blood, or in other words, sex. As odd and twisted as that seems, it’s true. The idea of being bitten by a vampire, or more tempting, having a relationship with a vampire, treads the line between abstinence and sex without reading straight-out erotica. And most damaging is that vampire fiction revolves around archaic roles: that the person who is being “bitten”, usually a woman, is being deflowered, while the vampire is a predator. Real sex isn’t about predator versus prey, it’s about love and enjoyment between two consenting adults. Just the way porn gives unrealistic images of sex, vampire fiction does it too.
Sex isn’t something that should be a taboo. I’m not a proponent of fourteen-year-olds going off and having sex, but kids shouldn’t be afraid to talk, read, and think about sex as much as they want. It’s natural to be curious about it. Perhaps the reason I never ended up on the vampire bandwagon is because my parents were always very open with me about sex. I never felt that it was a taboo, and I was never uncomfortable with the topic. I didn’t feel the need to mask it behind fantasy in order to make it okay to think about.
So why don’t teenage boys love vampires so much? Because teenage boys are encouraged to think about sex freely. Girls often grow up believing their own genitals are “gross”. Even as adults, women are concerned with this, as the Internet is flooded with questions women ask about what makes a “pretty” vagina. Men, on the other hand, may worry that their penises are too small, but I have never seen a question on the Internet saying, “Girls, what is a handsome penis? Is mine handsome?” While girls are taught to be afraid and ashamed of their sexuality, boys are taught to be proud of it. When boys want to think about sex, they’re more likely to watch porn or read Penthouse instead of reading Twilight. I’m not saying that’s a healthier alternative necessarily, because porn and erotica can give unrealistic expectations of sex. But they do not mask sexual desire under a curtain of fairytale.
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15 Comments
Lexi Borowitz, posted this comment on May 7th, 2009
actually, thanks for the heads-up. Along with being a terrible speller, I’m also a pretty bad person. So you’re pretty much right.
you are misguided!!!!, posted this comment on May 10th, 2009
honestly, i think you are taking someones dream, and turning it into something its not. Twilight is a very well rounded book, and there is no abstinence present in breaking dawn, i am quite sure if you would have actually read and understood correctly the way it was meant, you would not even be trying to turn Twilight around on its self. Also if you actually did read it you know that Bella and Edward do get married. They didn’t get married because she was pregnant or anything like that. they did it simply because they love each other and knew they would never
love anyone more than that or more than anything. Which is how it should be done, Right? that is what you were insinuating how sex should be. I believe it gives girls a good lesson on how wonderful the world will be when they spend that first magical moment with the man that they will spend there life with… where they can look back and have no regrets. Not to mention it teaches them what kind of features they should find in a man aswell, they will be nit picking after they meet Edward through Stephanie Meyer’s wonderful dream put onto paper….
My simple argument is that Twilight is in no way bad, it is a teen biased novel, not i rated G movie. teen dont want to be reading about “Normal stuff” so why not give a story with a big twist and a different kind of vampire. Oh and if you are wondering how in the world could i know this, then here is your answer. I am a who 19 Years old, and when i did my “research” as you so called did, i actually got real answers because they are my age. So i also know how it made me feel when i read it the first time, and that experience was in no way incorrigible.
B.W.
Lexi Borowitz, posted this comment on May 10th, 2009
Well thank you for at least leaving initials, but anyway, I never said the books were badly written. But it’s actually a well-known opinion among many psychologists that vampires are a representation of sex, which is why young girls are so obsessed with them, plus, it has been explicitly said on CNN that Twilight was meant to be an allegory for teenage abstinence. Just in case you don’t know what an allegory is, it doesn’t mean that the book is “about” abstinence, but rather that it is a subtle theme played in without actually mentioning it, much the way Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Black Cat” is an allegory for the slavery debate, but never mentioned slavery. And I do not think that it’s a good thing that teenage girls should base their selection for a future husband on an imaginary vampire.
In addition, I never said anything about marriage so I actually don’t know why it was brought up. But also, I never said that teens didn’t want to read about “interesting stuff”. I am currently writing a series for teenage girls with every controversy you could think of. However, it doesn’t mask itself in idealism of the “perfect” man or woman. I don’t think people should stay away from Twilight, this is just a sociological analysis of WHY they like it. Keep reading, I really don’t care.
Jude Hammerle, posted this comment on May 14th, 2009
You are right.
The vampire persona is a variant of the Strong identity, one of the four human identities that result in reproductive success. Forgive me for cutting and pasting from my own draft manuscript, but I believe you might be interested to know WHY you are right and it is the easiest way for me to oblige…
In the summer of 2007, at my wife’s alma mater (UCLA), PhD student David Frederick and Associate Professor Martie Haselton published research that the US media reported with some vigor. In one survey, the researchers photographed 99 undergraduate men, had them independently rated 1-to-9 with 9 being the most muscular, then quizzed them regarding their sexual experience. Muscular men were more than twice as likely to report having over three sex partners than their skinnier rivals were. In a second survey of 120 undergraduate men, more-muscular respondents were found to be twice more likely to have experienced brief flings or one-night affairs than slim guys. A double-check of 82 undergrad women confirmed this second finding, with a majority reporting that their short-term partners had been more muscular than their long-term ones. Finally, the researchers learned from a query of 60 undergraduate men that more-muscled men were twice as likely to have had sex with a woman who was at the time involved in a relationship with another man.
So yes, the big guy is moving in on your girl. And yes, they are going to have sex. But don’t despair, she will come home to you, and you will be the man her children call Daddy. If you’re lucky, some of them might even be related to you.
Good husbands of earth, I share your pain (remember, my wife went to UCLA). But Strong is an ancient identity, born of an ancient reproductive strategy, and it’s not going away anytime soon. The Alpha tournament was our defining expression for the millions of years it took us to become human, and probably for a long time thereafter. In fact, in at least one way, raw muscle has been selected for in humans to an even greater extent than in primates: the penis of a 600 pound Silverback mountain gorilla is the same size as your pinkie finger.
Edward lover Lydia, posted this comment on May 26th, 2009
Twilight is the best books ever, take this from a thirteen year old… (okay, i might not be the most reliable source) Anyway, girls my age love Twilight because of, well, Edward Cullen *sigh* *faints* Edward Cullen is a god to ‘most’ girls my age (Heaps of Harry Potter readers hate Twilight because they know that Twilight is better but they don’t want to say it), my friend and i have even made a region about Twilight, it’s called ‘Cullenist’ (Carlisle is our God and Edward is our Jesus, so far we have gotten twenty-two people to join!!!!! Twilight just isn’t about the sex involved (you might be disturbed by this coming from a thirteen year old, sorry)it is about the (well, it kinda is about the sex) love story of Bella Swan. In love with a vampire, while a were-wolve, Jacob, loves her, but she only likes him as a friend, and Mike and Eric liking her too, and the wonderful camera work showing Edward and Bella, and Emmett and Rosalie, Jasper and Alice, Carlisle and Esme. But then Bella gets pregnant (it shows the consequences of having sex) and then comes Renesmee. Which then Jacob imprints on. And don’t get started on Leah, Sam and Emily. *sigh* i could write about this alllll day. But i wont because it would take you 89 days to read. Okay, continuing, Stephanie Myer (and Edward) have inspired me to write my own books, i am 1/4 way writing the first book (it’s about vampires) and all my friends say it is really addictive, but i think thats because i have added the special ingredient that Twilight has: The main character (Sky, in my book, Bella, in Twilight) is involved in a relationship but heaps of other guys like her too. I have gone one step further and added a few more guys, but that makes it more addictive!!!!! So if you see a new book in a bookstore that has the author, Lydia Wilson, you know that it was me.
Vampires have some sexy appeal to them, there dangerous, immortal, and sooooooooo hot. That is probably why so many teenage girls are in love with Edward, Emmett and Jasper. Jacob is also hot too, his friends aren’t though, which is a shame.
Sorry, but try to write a book not about vampires, after the vampire his past (it might not?)
xoxoxoxoxo, Lydia aka, Edward lover Lydia
PS, xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxox to all Twilight fans!!!!!
PSS, I LOVE YOU EDWARD CULLEN, xoxoxoxoxoxo
I’m finished now!
Lexi Borowitz, posted this comment on May 27th, 2009
I appreciate your comment, and although I’m not sure if you’re agreeing or disagreeing with me, it doesn’t disturb me to hear that coming from someone your age. I have a fourteen-year-old brother (and although he doesn’t read Twilight) I’m used to people your age. In addition, you may be surprised by this, but I am only 20!
Jennifer Marre, posted this comment on Jun 24th, 2009
Interesting article. I never really thought about it that way before, but your article makes sense. I think main reason Twilight is so popular, however, is simply because teenage girls have a tendency to jump on the bandwagon and like whatever their friends like.
Lexi Borowitz, posted this comment on Jun 25th, 2009
Possibly, although I think while teenagers can jump on the bandwagon they also strive to be individuals. You are always going to find some kids who go after a certain trend just because others follow it. I agree that it’s probably part of what’s going on. But the article is trying to figure out why Twilight, as opposed to many other series of books. The movie won almost every single MTV movie award. Kids are obsessed with it!
JACOB LOVER, posted this comment on Jul 9th, 2009
TWILIGHT is awsome it isnt alll about vampires its also about wearwolfs twilight isnt the only thig invloveing vampires there is also a show called true blood vampires are realy cool they they drink blood and the way they look is amazing and for one thing vampires might excentce nobody has ever proven they didnt
Hi, may I offer you a wall of text?, posted this comment on Aug 3rd, 2009
Well, first, I don’t think the vampire=sex metaphor you’re going at is what draws girls to twilight and all similar stories. To be honest, I doubt that the average teenager would be able to figure this out on his or her own without. Unless it’s been implied to them already, or if they actually begin to look for it, the connection is obscure.
But I think the metaphor has a role in it. I think the tendency for a writer to draw on this relation- creating relationships within the story(and inevitably dream guys)- is the issue. Edward is to Bella as Angel is to Buffy. How many of the popular high school girls did you see fawning over Angel? These days, the only people I see who like twilight are the socially inept girls. An ex of mine always tried to make me do something like Edward(she always got pissed if I said no when she told me to sneak over… it was an angry relationship after a while). The difference is, the scene kids, with the money and the looks, never needed to look to a movie or a book to get their relationship-related needs.
Sorry for any spelling errors and the like. Crappy laptop, slow internet, and fatigue will wear on your writing abilities.
that guy who just talked about scene kids, posted this comment on Aug 3rd, 2009
If you’re still looking for something to write about, I suggest you write for the adult group. You’re far less likely to get upset teenagers looking for vampires.
Connaz, posted this comment on Sep 7th, 2009
I do agree with you in as much as when I read vampire books it is for the passion and intensity which is basically the sexual side of the relationship… the forbidden. I’m 20 years old same as you and i have read the twilight books which i did enjoy, but I tend to read ones by people like lara adrian now which tend be a little more mature.
The actual reason though that I began reading vampire romance stories was that they are filled with excitement, they generally always end with the happily ever after kind of bit and the men described in them, although obviously being vampires and therefore not real, tend to have a rather appealing nature.
They’re protective, strong, world-wise and that stereotypical brooding tortured soul. I think what is most attractive is that these strong and usually inhumanly attractive men choose this one woman who is supposed to be perfectly normal and ordinary to be theirs, after all this time on earth they’ve picked this one person to drop the hard arrogant facade for and its only for her.
So in conclusion there is that dangerous and forbidden part of them that attracts but there is also those few characteristics that women want, that can make them feel special, because really if a guy who was generally a jacka** to everyone else suddenly became this really gentle person around you and was prepared to fight soley for you, obsessively and unconditionally would you not be just a little interested? I think it is this ideal, although unobtainable, that attracts so many women in general, the idea that they could be the one to tame this animalistic man.
evan roberts, posted this comment on Sep 14th, 2009
Anyone who would like to share their testimony on NATIONAL TELEVISION (CBS) about their experiences biting as an example of passion stemming from the influence of vampire shows, movies etc. Please contact me ASAP.
Nicola, posted this comment on Nov 5th, 2009
awesome article Lexi. as a 34 year old English Literature graduate now working in news and current affairs production I am delighted to see a young woman like yourself with such keen insight and interpretative abilities. Your feedback is interesting although i do think you’re talking above the heads of most of your readers. Keep up the good work and i hope to see your books published some day
abcdefg, posted this comment on May 6th, 2009
The correct spelling is: Twilight. Makes your argument look unfounded when you don’t spell the name of the book correctly.