Despite the fact that we’re living in a #MeToo, #TimesUp culture and trying to combat sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual assault against women, some people somehow still think it’s attractive to glamorize sexual violence against women.
That’s exactly what you find in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, and that’s more of when you’ll get in the third and final installation, Fifty Shades Freed, on February 9, 2018. As I noted in my column when the trailer was released, this film is full of degrading and harmful lies:
Women want and deserve healthy and consensual intimate relationships. So, Fifty Shades author E.L. James dressed up a sadomasochistic, abusive sexual relationship as just that – one that ended in true love, was based on consent, and was healthy for both partners.
So in addition to NOT watching this film, and telling your friends and family not to see it, you can take the following five actions to become a powerful activists against this harmful material.
1. Join This Facebook Page
Join this Facebook page to draw attention to the abusive nature of Fifty Shades Freed. Invite your friends to join as well. Use the hashtag #50dollarsnot50shades to spread the word so that more people will learn about the campaign.
2. Sign This Petition
Tell Universal Pictures to CANCEL Fifty Shades Freed.
3. Donate to a Shelter
Donate $50 or whatever you can afford to give to a women’s shelter or a shelter for victims of domestic abuse — because there is nothing glamorous or “sexy” about sexual violence against women or against anyone. You can find a list of shelters here.
You can also learn more about resources for survivors of domestic abuse here.
4. Share These Graphics
Here are a few to start with. You can find more memes and social media graphics to share here.
5. Take Photos and Send Them to Us
Send your photos of yourself with a sign expressing why YOU oppose Fifty Shades to public@ncose.com. Tweet them using the hashtags #FiftyShadesIsAbuse and #50dollarsnot50shades, and tag our @NCOSE Twitter handle as well. We will share your photos them on our social media accounts!
Learn more at our Fifty Shades Is Abuse webpage here. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation is grateful to partner with dozens of other organizations on this campaign, including lead partners London Abused Women’s Centre, Canada; Collective Shout, Australia; and Culture Reframed, USA.
