This month, the book phenomena “Fifty Shades of Grey” was released as a movie and the world went wild. People all over could not stop talking about the movie and how it made us feel. I made the decision not to see this movie, and here is what you should consider before choosing to go see it.
Before anything, I would like to say that I read the first book of the trilogy the summer before I came to college, so I do actually know what the movie is about. My mom found out I was reading this book, and I got in a lot of trouble and wasn’t allowed to read the next two. Imagine a bleach blonde Charleston woman yelling, "That’s pornography!” and you essentially have my mother. While I was annoyed, I would like to thank my mom for this because it saved me from supporting a book that really went against everything I stand for.
The first reason I am choosing not to see this movie is because this movie glorifies domestic violence. I did not really even know what domestic violence was until I got to college and I learned that there are so many ways someone can be domestically abused. I think this is why I was not as repulsed by the book the first time I read it, because I did not understand really what domestic violence was. I now know that no man should ever dictate your life and that true relationships are about being equals.
An actual quote from the movie is, “ Alaska is very cold and no place to run. I would find you. I can track your cell phone -- remember?” If this doesn’t sound like an abusive relationship, I don’t know what does. I chose this quote because many of the others were too graphic for me to feel comfortable posting. Please don’t excuse this for love and if the dialogue in this movie relates to your relationship at all I beg that you seek help or tell someone.
The next reason I choose not to see the movie is because it sounds to me more like a messed up man’s fantasy than a woman’s. A billionaire young man who comes across a submissive virgin who is willing to do whatever he commands without the slightest objection? I am sorry, ladies, but why does this sound appealing? We live in a society where women are still struggling to be treated equally as men. We deserve more than some over romanticized sex story that we are told is what love is supposed to look like.
Overall, it is up to you whether or not you want to see this movie. If you do, I hope you choose to consider these points while seeing it. And if this helped at all with you deciding not to go, then I thank you for deciding to not support this trilogy. Again, I would like to say if your relationship happens to look anything like this, I ask that you tell someone and realize that whoever you are, you deserve so much more.
