Since when is "Twilight" sexually explicit?!

baconsmom

The top ten challenged books of 2009:

“ttyl,“ “ttfn“ and “l8r, g8r“ - Written entirely in the style of an instant messaging conversation, these three books by Lauren Myracle follow the lives of typical teenagers as they discuss drugs, drinking and sex.  Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs“And Tango Makes Three“  -  This book by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson is based on the true story of two male penguins in Central Park Zoo who, who as couple, cared for an egg together. Reasons:  Homosexuality“The Perks of Being A Wallflower“  - Written by Stephen Chbosky, this book is narrated by an introverted teen who chronicles his experiences in letters to an anonymous person whom he has never met.  Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide“To Kill A Mockingbird” - Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1960 novel about racism and integrity in a small town is still drawing complaints after all these years.  Reasons: Racism, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group“Twilight” -  Kids love the teen vampire books by Stephenie Meyer.  Parents, not so much.  Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group“Catcher in the Rye” - J.D. Salinger’s classic tale of a young man’s experiences after being kicked out of a fancy prep school has been upsetting parents since 1951.  Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group“My Sister’s Keeper” - Jodi Picoult’s story about a 13-year-old who sues her parents for medical emancipation may have gotten the Hollywood treatment, but the complaint list is long.  Reasons: Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence“The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things” - Carolyn Mackler writes about an overweight girl’s desperate desire to fit in with her perfect- and skinny - family.  Reasons:  Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group“The Color Purple” - The 1983 Pulitzer Prize-winner by Alice Walker looks at the struggles of black women in 1930’s rural Georgia.  Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group“The Chocolate War” - First published in 1974, Robert Cormier’s story of a young man challenging the evil secret society at his high school is believed by some to be the best young adult novel of all time.  Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

TheDuckis

They're probably taking the series as a whole. And while the sex isn't actually explicit, the sexuality is, if that makes sense.

I do think the books are inapropriate for middle-schoolers, and are okay for high-schoolers only with a side of discussion on how not to be a doormat in your relationship.

DG1

"“The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things”"

OK. I want to read this just for the title.


I accidentally read a "young adult" (teenager) novel last year. I got it for 25 cents at the library book sale and did not realize it was a young adult novel.  I read the whole thing thinking "this book is weird. It's like it's for 16 year olds or something."  Then when I was done found the label on the back of hte book that said "young adult" or whatever.  DG1 = smrt.

Yes, I know that wasn't the point. But I haven't read Twilight and can't say whether it's sexually explicit or not.  Then again, I'm guessing Twilight deserves to be "challenged" just as much as the other books on that list, which is to say not at all.

When is "Read a Banned Book Day" anyway?

TheDuckis

DG, there are a lot of really good YA novels out there. My 2 favorite authors both write YA. I buy their books and then give them to my younger cousins.

L_Woods

I love that a true story of (OMGWTF!) gay penguins is banned because of homosexuality. I mean, really, it's not like there aren't gay kids in HS or anything.

I hate people that are so sensitive they want to keep their children from things that are important to learn about like racism. I mean, it's a part of our history. There is a reason there is racism in To Kill A Mockingbird.

baconsmom

I dunno, Duckis. I was reading plenty of racier stuff in middle school. Heck, I read Andrew Greeley in elementary school, and even he - a priest - has more obvious sexuality than Twilight. 

But my reading was only tokenly restricted, and my parents would never have complained about a book or tried to have it banned. 

nicoleg1982

In middle school, I remember Paul Zindel stuff making me uncomfortable re: sex. Of course, I was young and had no idea WTF was really going on, but enough to make me blush I guess.  ::shrug::

Butter Cookie

I remember reading in middle school about a boy masturbating, and then being teased by computer programming peers. They took his console and programmed a wagging penis into it.

TheDuckis

Oh, yeah, I was reading romance novels at 10. But IMO the message of romance novels is that love and respect are more important than sex and lead to much better sex. That's not the message of Twilight, and I think the way sex is treated in those books is a lot more damaging than the way it's treated in most romance novels.

I have no problem with kids reading explicit material--they're curious. I have a much bigger problem with the attitudes portrayed.

FWIW, I hate book-banning as much as the next guy, and don't think anyone has the right to dictate what anyone but their own child is reading.

baconsmom

Oh, I agree that Twilight's "sex" is retarded. I'd definitely discourage Bacon from reading those in favor of - oh, any other vampire novel, really. 

But if I were 12 or 13, I don't think I'd even pick up on the sexuality in those novels. Not until the last one, and even then, we're left at the bedroom door. I just find it odd that that's the objection to those books. I mean, they're terribly written, they're sexist, they're boring - sure. But sexually explicit? Meh. Someone needs to broaden their horizons.