I will start this with a disclaimer. I am potentially one of Kristen Stewart’s biggest fans. I have seen almost every interview with her on YouTube, I will read any article with her in, I track the KStew tag on Tumblr, I rewatch the Twilight films… out of choice. My New Year’s resolution last year was for Kristen Stewart to come out and realise that I was the woman for her (sadly only half of that happened). It’s safe to say I am pretty invested in this love – but a lot of people don’t really understand why.

I’m not going to write a piece about her acting. Although anyone who uses Twilight to justify calling her a bad actress needs to realise that Bella was written as a one-dimensional character, just watch The Runaways.

I’m not going to deny she cheated, she did, and it was a crappy thing to do. However, it does take two to tango and equally it is unfair that women always take the heat in these situations.

My friend asked me if the reason I loved her is because she is an attractive bisexual woman. That is part of it. Feeling represented is great, and it doesn’t hurt that she is crazily attractive.

However, part of the reason I love her so much is because of what she represents within lesbian culture. There’s the joke that you can tell someone’s sexuality by their answer to what Kristen Stewart’s sexuality is – if they say she’s straight, she’s probably straight. If they say she’s bi, she’s probably bi. If they say she’s gay, she’s probably gay. Obviously since she has come out, this question has kind of lost its power, but it is one of the best ‘gaydars’ going.

On the topic of her coming out, she did it in exactly the way she does everything else in her life, with a-couldn’t-care-less attitude. With the phrase “google me, I’m not hiding”, she epitomised the millennial’s view regarding sexuality. Her blasé attitude demonstrates the shift in opinion that we so desperately need, why does it matter who we go to bed with?

Kristen Stewart is badass and she has experienced harassment from the media which demonstrates this. Almost overnight she became a huge celebrity and has been followed by the paparazzi in every aspect of her life – including a romantic picnic on a secluded beach with her ‘gal pal’. By refusing to play up to the role of media darling that people want her to, she does something different. It might get her bad press, but it is this attitude, the rebel in her, that makes so many of us such big fans.

Also she was raised by wolves. WOLVES.

Emma Healey

Image courtesy of: AXELLE / BAUER-GRIFFIN / FILMMAGIC