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PROTEST! On Valentine’s Day, couples and friends across the country went to see the movie based on the bestseller, Fifty Shades of Grey. This is NO GOOD; in fact it’s real bad. Fifty Shades of Grey is a tale of stalking, domestic violence, abuse, and torture, dressed up like a love story! Fuck that.
Around the world: An epidemic of rape, gang-rape, "date" rape, rape porn, rape culture, is on the rise. Still with us and/or making a huge comeback: “honor” killings, acid attacks, genital mutilation, murder, forced motherhood (denying women the choice of abortion), forced sterilization (denying women the ability to get pregnant), forced marriages, coercion of every kind imaginable. All this, along with sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual exploitation, and sexual stigma teach women “their place.” The women of the world are already wearing the blood-soaked ropes and chains of patriarchy - so let’s break them off, not slap new ones on! Every single day, a multi-billion dollar industry of violent and degrading porn is saturating boys and men with the notion that the torture of women is arousing. Now, Fifty Shades of Grey is a big part of selling that lie to women. Fuck that. In this society where women are still shamed for having or enjoying sex, Fifty Shades of Grey might look “edgy” and “rebellious.” It is right to rebel against sexual repression, to fight the cult of "purity" and virginity that is pushed on women and girls, and to ferociously defend women's right to abortion and birth control. But let's be clear: 50 Shades is NOT a rebellion against any of this! It is a distorted house-of-mirrors reflection of the same patriarchal view of women that created those repressive sexual “norms” and rigid gender roles. There is no fundamental difference between the Christian fascists who want to reduce women to objects who breed children for men and the Christian Greys who want to reduce women to sex objects to be used and abused for male sexual pleasure. There is NOTHING rebellious about men controlling, owning, and terrorizing women, or the lie that women should feel “liberated” by submitting to this. Fuck that. Women are not toys to be used for male pleasure, nor are they breeders of children. The domination of women is only “sexy” in a society that accepts women being bought, sold, owned, and controlled. Fuck that. IT MATTERS if this movie, and its blatant mainstreaming of rape culture and revenge against women is accepted or rejected. Get off this shit! Take up the fight for women’s actual liberation! Say NO MORE to patriarchy in all its forms! Dare to imagine – and fight to CREATE – a world without rape, without sex trafficking, without domestic violence, without the sexual sadism of pornography or the misogyny of theocratic Puritans. Women are full human beings, capable of participating fully and equally in every realm of human endeavor together with men. That is what we should set our sights on. That is what we must fight to make real. D.I.Y. 50 Shades of Grey Protest KitSocial Media - Spread the message!
Powerful and Relevant Resources on Fifty Shades of Grey
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NYC
Oakland, CA
Seattle, WA
Los Angeles, CA
Sent in from Montreal, Canada
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International response from the week after protesting the release of 50 Shades
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From PA: Being fifteen, I have not read the book or watched the movie. Being fifteen, I know what goes on in the book and movie. Being fifteen, I am aware what happens in the world. Being fifteen, I am taught a limited sex education in school because the teachers "can't give all the details." Being fifteen, I am viewed as someone too young to date. Being fifteen, I want a boyfriend that cherishes me. Being fifteen, I know what love isn't. Being fifteen, I know love is not being forced to have sex. Being fifteen, I know love is not torture. Being fifteen, I know love is not domination. Being fifteen, I know love is not abuse. Being fifteen, I know love is not 50 Shades of Grey. Being fifteen, fuck that.
From Australia: I read the trilogy because my best friend at the time had & was saying about how amazing it was. Being the friend I am and as I mentioned I read them and was appalled. Going in with the thought this would be a great book (kinky nut great) I was horrified. The idea that this plot could be romanticised is appalling.
From Canada: This movie is absolute bullshit. it romanticizes the abuse of women, and makes it seem like an okay thing by labeling it as bdsm. this is NOT bdsm. bdsm is all about consent and communication, no consent is involved in this movie. it romanticizes domestic abuse, and gives people the wrong idea about what bdsm really is. IT NEEDS TO STOP!
From Wilmington, NC: I'm so glad their are others that understand why this movie is fucked. Y'all rock
From Inverness, FL: It's unbelievable how many people think that this book is "okay" because it's "just a book" -- I can't stand to hear it any longer. People need to realize how important this is. From La Crescenta, CA: The perception of BDSM relationships is being horrifically mangled by this film, and creates an image that is degrading to women everywhere. This has to stop. From San Dimas, CA: Former sub will confirm there is a high rate of violence against women in the BDSM culture. These men (Doms) hide their hatred for women behind the BDSM veil. There are women with the breasts rope tied until they appear to burst. It is horrific. Bring down the BDSM dating sites as well, many predators online. From Canfield, OH: Not only is it disgusting it is triggering to survivors of rape and abuse. No one should be having panic attacks and flashbacks because of the mainstream acceptance of this piece of junk. |
From Canada: I just want to thank you all for protesting and raising your voices against the onslaught of stupidity that seems to be currently prevailing. My mom and I both volunteered at women's shelters n 2012 and 2013, helping domestically abused, homeless, and sex trafficked women find some measure of peace. 50 Shades is an absolute travesty and spits on all the progress many women have made thus far, and are still trying to make. Please keep up the good work-it really is essential!
From Oakland, CA: Fuck this 50 shades of fuckery. The novels how abuse and stalking is just so romantic. People are seeing this daily and are going to think, "wow this is how I will treat my loved ones and I'll abuse them because it's how Grey got Anatasia." The series has already thought a whole generation that abuse and consent is not important.
From UK: resist do not comply
Received through our e-list: I feel physically ill when I see this book on people's book shelves let alone the fact that now it is thrown in my face in television ads! There is no escape from the normalising of men's violence against women! This has to end, our children need more options on how to break out of this rigid gender binary that is being sold to us by the rich white middle aged hero sexually men that own and operate the media! From Scotland: My local Women's Aid group has support workers who read this book and saw nothing wrong with it apart from the poor writing. Anyone can set up a Women's Aid group in Scotland and this particular one has at least one so-called support worker and a BOSS who were found guilty by a Care Inspectorate of victim blaming. And they are still in business. From Daly, FL: I refuse to live in a world where I and many other women who are victims of sexual assault and other forms of abuse are invalidated on a daily basis.
From Portland, OR: I support the protesting of this outrage of a book/movie. From NY: Looking for other women friends to join us.
From MA: Want to go to an action in Boston. From Paris: We can't live in society that treat women as slaves! Some parents let their children watch this movie! Don't let them! Don't let children destroy the innocence with this shit! |
