This past week my Facebook newsfeed has been filled with articles about why people shouldn't see "Fifty Shades of Grey" because it is supporting domestic violence and against the "Christian" way. While I'm am a strong advocate against domestic violence, I did not go to see this movie because I believe it is supportive of abuse.
I went to see this movie because I fell in love with the story behind all of the BDSM and the sex. I fell in love with Anastasia and Christian. I fell in love with their relationship, without the whipping and chaining. I fell in love with their marriage and how great of a father Christian is to his children (as seen in "Fifty Shades Freed," sorry to all those who haven't read it).
Do I believe that a BDSM relationship is a healthy relationship? Absolutely not. I am strongly against it because I do not believe that a person should find pleasure or relief from hurting a significant other or anyone in that matter. I also do realize that most of the things that happen in this book are abusive, but I do not support them by watching the movie, which (by the way) is very different from the book.
I could go on for hours about domestic violence and tell you lots of facts about it, like how there are three women murdered every single day by a current or a former male partner in the United States. There have been over 38 million women who have experienced physical abuse in their lifetime from a partner. Over 4 million women experience physical violence by a partner every. damn. year. Every nine seconds a woman is beaten by a partner in the United States. Every nine freaking seconds. A woman is 70 times more likely to be murdered in the weeks following leaving her abusive partner. 70 TIMES.
Why are we focused on a movie and how it's "supporting" domestic violence instead of writing about why domestic violence is absolutely horrible? Why are we focusing on a work of fiction between two fictional characters instead of what happens in the real world today?
Yes I understand that there are relationships out there that are exactly like Christian and Ana's, but I do not believe that by going to see a movie that portrays these relationships is supporting them in any way. I believe that E.L. James did a great job writing this book, and I believe Sam Taylor-Johnson did an amazing job directing this movie.
Could E.L. James have researched more about BDSM relationships? Sure she could have, but do you think that would have changed anyone's opinions about the books? Probably not.
I know that many of you have your opinions, and I respect them completely, but this is my opinion. I believe that as a lover of Christ and an advocate against domestic violence I needed to speak my mind because I am tired of feeling judged for my decision to see a fictional movie that I personally loved as a book.
My advice to the people that think this movie is supporting domestic abuse is to go see the movie and look beyond all the sex and BDSM; your opinion could change.
