The Twilight films are extremely popular, we get that by now. But why exactly? Dreamy pale men who’ll suck you dry is certainly a concept anyone can enjoy. But one “Twilight expert”…excuse me, I just vomited in my hat…says it’s the movies’ theme of abstinence that young girls love the most. Riiiight.

This distinct lack of on-screen sex runs contrary to the popular trend of portraying teenagers on screen as playing fast and loose with their virginity and affections.

Love and the importance of relationships most definitely rule in “The Twilight Saga” and the formula is proving popular with audiences.

Elizabeth Morowitz, Communications Professor at the University of Missouri and author of “Bitten By Twilight” thinks that this more sensitive approach is the key to the film’s success.

“A lot of people ask ‘what’s so appealing about the Twilight and why is it popular now?’ and we think it’s because of the relationships and the messages about love in Twilight. In a more conservative environment we’ve had this push for abstinence education, so we now have a media message that’s more congruent with that. So perhaps some teens relate to it in that way,” Morowitz told CNN’s Katie Walmsley.

[CNN]