Stephenie Meyer conceived Edward Cullen as a traditional romantic lead governed by Edwardian-era moral codes. Born in Chicago in 1901 and turned by Carlisle Cullen during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, Edward’s psychology reflects the strict chastity of his mortal upbringing combined with Carlisle's doctrine of nonviolent vegetarianism. Within the four main volumes and the companion novel Midnight Sun, Edward exhibits romantic and sexual attraction exclusively toward women, culminating in his obsessive devotion to Bella Swan.
Meyer has repeatedly confirmed across interviews and in The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide that Edward experienced no romantic attraction to anyone, male or female, prior to meeting Bella in high school biology. His utter disinterest in the human women of his era, as well as potential vampire companions like Tanya of the Denali coven, was rooted in emotional apathy rather than concealed homosexuality. In pure canonical terms, Edward is straight, monogamous, and sexually inactive until his marriage to Bella in Breaking Dawn.
