The Vilification of Teenage Girls

Chances are, at some point in your life, you've come across the phrase "Still a better love story than Twilight" on the internet. Perhaps you've witnessed a joke about boybands or Taylor Swift. If you're wondering how these seemingly unrelated things are connected, the brief answer is ''teenage girls.''

You've likely encountered a teenage girl at some point, whether you were once or currently one. Depending on who you are, you may have some familiarity with the typical likes, music preferences, and entertainment choices of teenage girls. For those unfamiliar, here's a brief overview: boybands, K-Pop, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, cheesy romance and vampire movies, makeup, and shopping. Seems pretty basic, doesn't it?

All the mentioned interests share a common side, beyond simply being labeled as "teenage girl things." They have, at some point, faced hate or mockery. For instance, in 2010, disliking Justin Bieber or One Direction was very common, particularly among men. Another notable example is the ongoing ridicule of the "Twilight" movie series. But why do people, especially men, have such disdain for these interests?

In 2018, I stumbled upon a YouTube video titled "Dear Stephanie Meyer" an eye-opening video on how society perceives and treats teenage girls compared to teenage boys. The creator specifically delved into the "Twilight" series, arguing that it didn't deserve all the hate and criticism it received.

While the quality of the "Twilight" books and films can be debated, in my opinion, the immense amount of negativity surrounding the series appears unjust. There are many badly written movies and books targeting men that have not faced even a fraction of the criticism directed at "Twilight." In a 2012 interview, Melissa Rosenberg, the screenplay writer for the "Twilight" movies, pointed out:

''We’ve seen more than our fair share of bad action movies, bad movies geared toward men or 13-year-old boys. And you know, the reviews are like okay, that was crappy, but a fun ride. But no one says 'Oh my god. If you go to see this movie you’re a complete fucking idiot.' And that’s the tone, that is the tone with which people attack Twilight.''

In my opinion, her statements not only explain the excessive hatred towards "Twilight" but also highlight the double standards prevalent in Hollywood.

Another crucial aspect of this issue is the inconsistency in people's criticism. In the early '60s, when the Beatles released their first album, it was teenage girls who catapulted them to popularity. Yet, over time, as their music diversified, men became more vocal about the band's talent. Similarly, Robert Pattinson, who portrayed Edward in the "Twilight" series, endured prolonged hatred until his recent role as Batman, which created a sudden shift in public opinion.

The origins of the notions "If men love it, then it should be good." and "If women love it, then it is probably bad" are unclear, but they likely stem from misogyny since no one treats men who watch sports fanatically in a similar way. But it is essential to recognize that blaming only men for these issues is not right as many women criticize other women because of internalized misogyny.

Finally, it can be said that, while it's perfectly acceptable not to like "Twilight" or Taylor Swift; if you consistently disparage things targeted towards teenage girls or women without giving them a fair chance, it's time to reconsider your perspectives.

Sources

Carpenter, Jane. 2020. ''Society Hates Teenage Girls'', The Foreword. https://theforeword.org/1240/editorials/society-hates-teen-girls/

Acha, Rayna. 2020. ''There’s a culture of hating teenage girls and no one’s talking about it'', The Southerner https://www.shsoutherner.net/opinion/2020/01/21/theres-a-culture-of-hating-teenage-girls-and-no-ones-talking-about-it/