Breaking Dawn: the choice saga

Back in high school – before entering the real feminist world of awesomeness – I read, really devoured, the Twilight series. Finishing the fourth book in my freshman year of college, I humbly closed the pages with a sigh of wistful hope for my own love of a lifetime someday.

Today, that view has changed. I enjoy being an independent woman. I like the feeling of accomplishment after fixing my own leaky sink and tearing up to a fun “Say Yes to the Dress” episode. Needless to say, I love being a woman, and a feminist.

To the real reason I am posting today, Twilight.

My roommate and I walked into the dimly lit theatre and anxiously picked out a spot. Naturally, we were a little late. So we didn’t have too many options left when we entered and freely chose seats in the second to front row. I will admit now that I enjoyed this movie and will see Part 2 when it eventually comes out. But there are few things that really irk me when it comes down to the bread and butter of this film.

There is an awesome article posted on the main page by Maya in the Weekly Feminist Reader. It is “Breaking Dawn is where the Twilight series goes straight-up cuckoopants.” It’s a really great article that gets at one more reason why the Twilight series is seriously messed up. Which I totally agree with (even if my teenage, uneducated self doesn’t); so bravo.

While I could go on and on about Bella and Edward’s twisted, controlling, emotionally abusive relationship, I won’t. The article previously mentioned above does a nice job of pointing out some of the relationship’s very disturbing flaws. So, I’m going for a different angle on the newest Twilight installment, the abortion debate.

Getting past all of the domestic abuse fucked up-ness of the relationship: there is a bigger issue here that Bella faces. She’s really caught in a double bind. She’s desperately in love with her new husband and she desperately wants to keep this new baby. However, her ever-protective newlywed does not see eye to eye with that decision.

Throughout most of the movie, Edward is angry and grappling with the decision Bella has made for herself. Bella is also grappling with the choice she’s made. (Because who ever said this kind of choice was easy was totally off their rocker, right?) Both the men she’s in love with (if there isn’t an oxymoron in there somewhere please let me know!) are vying to get her to give up the baby. But she will not have it. The choice is hers and hers alone. Edward is not willing (until ¾ of the way into the movie) to even listen to Bella. He automatically takes matters into his own hands without even consulting her. Can you say controlling? Even when she’s in the room he talks as if she isn’t there, then blames her for doing this to him. Um, what? When did this ever become about him and his body? Is there a little monster baby trying to eat through his belly? Don’t think so.

So, the bigger picture. In this movie Bella represents pro-choice. Edward, anti-choice. Here’s the main reasons.

Edward:

1)      Not giving a woman the freedom to make her own decisions.

2)      Discussing a woman’s bodily rights as if they’re not her own.

3)      Trying to manipulate a woman into something she does not want.

And,

4)      Taking the power from a woman and giving it to someone else, when it is not theirs to take or to give.

Bella:

1)      It is a woman’s right to choose when it comes to her own reproductive rights.

2)      No one should be able to take the choice away from a woman, whether it is to keep the baby or not.

And,

3)      Bella ends up making the decision for herself.
SPOILER ALERT.

Eventually, Edward ends up pleased with the choice that Bella made after somehow hearing the baby’s thoughts within Bella’s womb. Vampire powers, remember? But the point is, it was Bella’s choice from the beginning, not his. His acceptance makes it easier for Bella, but when push comes to shove, she was going to do it anyway. So I’m glad that the woman finally made a decision for herself and stuck to her guns about it. She is capable of making her own choices, just like any other woman. And no one has the right to take that away, from anyone.

Disclaimer: This post was written by a Feministing Community user and does not necessarily reflect the views of any Feministing columnist, editor, or executive director.

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