London
(ANI):
Twilight
sequel
New
Moon
has
come
under
fire
from
feminists
for
reinforcing
gender
stereotypes.
Carmen
Siering,
assistant
professor
of
English
and
women's
studies
at
Ball
State
University,
alleges
that
the
second
installment
of
the
vampire
series
shows
Bella,
played
by
Kristen
Stewart,
as
a
passive
character.
"With
just
a
moment
of
critical
analysis,
feminists
can't
be
too
happy
about
how
the
latest
episode
in
the
Twilight
series,
adapted
from
Stephenie
Meyer's
popular
books,
represents
a
young
woman
and
her
place
in
the
modern
world," the
Telegraph
quoted
Siering
as
telling
feminist
Ms
Magazine.
Siering
insistes
that
the
fact
Bella
remains
in
thrall
to
the
"overbearing"
Edward
even
after
he
dumps
reflects
gender
stereotype
of
women's
dependence
on
men.
Siering
added:
"In
fact,
just
moments
after
Edward
leaves
her,
Bella
stumbles
in
the
woods
and
refuses
to
get
up,
lying
in
the
muck
until
a
strong,
bare-chested
man
carries
her
out.
“Later,
we
see
her
sitting
in
her
room,
staring
out
the
window,
as
the
months
roll
by.
When
she
isn't
sitting
and
staring,
she
is
in
bed
having
nightmares.
Very
empowering.
What
finally
rouses
her
is
a
vision
of
Edward-which
she
sees
after
she
hops
on
a
motorcycle
with
a
creepy
guy.
Even
this
ghostly
Edward
is
bossy,
scolding
Bella
to
be
careful,
but
it
seems
Bella
likes,
or
needs,
to
be
bossed
around."
Siering
concluded:
"This
is
a
film
full
of
gender
stereotypes-testosterone-driven
male
aggression,
females
who
pine
away
over
lost
loves,
boys
who
fix
motorcycles
and
the
girls
who
watch
them.
The
one
role-reversal
in
New
Moon,
where
Bella
saves
Edward
for
a
change,
is
immediately
negated
when
Bella's
low
self-esteem
takes
centre
stage."
"Even
as
Edward
declares
his
love
to
her,
Bella
deems
herself
'unworthy' of
it,
being
simply
human
while
he's
a
vampire
and
all.
Perpetuating
the
idea
that
this
is
true
love-torturous,
painful,
and
unrequited-is
detrimental
to
all
of
us,
women
and
men.
There's
something
scary
about
New
Moon,
but
it's
in
the
human
encounters,
not
those
with
the
monsters."
However,
New
Moon
has
broken
box
office
records
since
its
release
last
week.