Women across America are reacting with outrage to the newly released trailer for the upcoming Fifty Shades of Grey movie which romanticizes and normalizes sexual violence and the degradation of women.
Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of Morality in Media and PornHarms.com has launched a campaign against this movie which is based on the bestselling novel by E. L. James whose naive main character comes under the control of a powerful older man who makes her into his sex slave. A newly released trailer for the movie entices potential movie-goers, particularly young girls, by presenting this macabre story line as being one of love and romance rather than what it is – a film about masochistic sex.
“The implications of such a relationship—abuse of power, female inequality, coercion, and sexual violence—glamorizes and legitimatizes violence against women,” Hawkins writes.
“The popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey among women sends a message to men that this is what women really want. Even more dangerous, it also sends the message to women that they can ‘fix’ violent, controlling men by being obedient and loving.”
She issues this warning to the women who are lining up to see the film: “There is nothing empowering about whips and chains or humiliation and torture. Women as a group will not gain power by collaborating with violent men. Women would be serving only as an agent to further their own sexual degradation, handing themselves on a silver platter to exactly the sort of men who want to use and abuse them, and take away their power.”
Hawkins also confronts parents who allow their children to see this film: “Is this really the kind of relationship we want our daughters, relatives and friends willingly entering into? With a stalker and a batterer? Do we really want our sons to become Christian Greys, practicing a violent masculinity that degrades men as well?”
Unfortunately, “mainstream opinion-makers (such as Oprah, the Today Show, Planned Parenthood and Broadway) are telling the public (especially youth) that humiliation, degradation and torture in sex is normal and to just give it a try,” Hawkins warns.
This is in spite of the fact that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, states that sadism and masochism are mental disorders, which should be dealt with on a professional psychiatric level.
“We must oppose the continued promotion of BDSM [Bondage, discipline, sado masochism] in our society. We will go after all public leaders that propagate the lies that torture and violence are normal and healthy sexual templates.”
Hawkins is calling upon all concerned women to take action and do whatever they can to help counter the violent message contained in this dangerous film.
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