Fifty Shades of Grey deceives people by promoting bondage, abuse and sexual violence as being normal and acceptable. Here’s why we should steer clear.
Deception. Destruction. Disappointment. That’s what you can expect from the movie Fifty Shades of Grey.
If the starring actor, Dakota Johnson, is warning her own parents to not see her most recent film, this should be a major warning sign for the rest of us. This movie is anything but what the title suggests. The author’s objective is to make the topic of sadomasochistic sex as acceptable and exciting.
According to Wikipedia, “Surveys show that grey is the color most commonly associated with conformity, boredom, indifference and modesty.” It’s an intermediate, neutral color between black and white. The movie’s title is deceptive and misleading and numerous psychologists warn that the behavior promoted is dangerous and destructive.
I believe people are flocking to the theater to see this flick because of their curiosity in why this is one of the most talked about films ever made. That, or people are wanting to fill a void and are mistakingly thinking what this movie portrays may be the answer. People can become discontented in their current relationships as a result. But is this curiosity worth the consequences of exposing our minds to these images? With just reading the reviews alone, I would answer with a resounding NO! Yet, it is pertinent we analyze this movie, since it made a record-breaking 81.7 million in it’s opening weekend alone.
Full-frontal nudity and multiple sex scenes with very explicit sounds and images are shown throughout the movie. The scenes were as erotic as the R rating system would allow, meaning, movie makers do not have our best interest at heart. Sex scenes happen in a torture chamber where many sex toys hang on the walls. Nothing left to the imagination. Christian, one of the main characters, mentioned that he was sexually abused as a teen for 6 years and his mother died as a crack addict when he was just 4 years old. He mentioned that these factors caused him to become sexually violent.
One of the most graphic parts of the movie involves a punishment scene where Christian lashes Ana 6 times with a belt. Not only does this qualify as domestic violence but it depicts an extremely unhealthy relationship. I could address the dangers in promoting sex toys, violence, etc. to today’s youth, but instead I want to focus on all of the sadomasochistic sex scenes throughout this movie. Webster’s Dictionary defines sadomasochistic as, “The derivation of pleasure from the infliction of physical or mental pain either on others or on oneself.” Sadomasochistic sex is basically violent pornography.
According to a study done by California State Univeristy – Northridge, “Sadomasochism is a humiliating and degrading form of sexual perversion practiced by those who suffer from emotional problems. Studies have shown that prior emotional, sexual, and/or physical abuse can contribute to a person’s need to engage in this self-destructive behavior. Unfortunately, death has resulted from this form of sex-play. Sadomasochism is dangerous and should be addressed as a perversion that requires psychological therapy.” This summarizes why Fifty Shades of Grey is so damaging and why many are speaking out against watching the movies or reading the books.
I want to encourage you to not feel pressured to go see, buy, read and do what the culture, celebrities and our friends are saying we JUST CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT. Truth be told, once these images are in our mind, we can’t easily, if at all, erase them. This movie should come with a preview which warns all audience members of the issues that can and will arise if we subject ourselves to these graphic scenes. If we have the starring actress warning her fans and parents to steer clear, it should raise a huge red flag that we should keep our hard earned dollars for a much better movie choice or better yet, donate to a local domestic violence shelter.
Question: What movies have you seen that promoted healthy relationships? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
This is a great thought-provoking video to watch regarding the dangers of watching and reading Fifty Shades of Grey.
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