“Fifty Shades of Grey,” an erotic novel by an obscure British author based on Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight
series, has electrified women across the country. Readers have spread
the word like wildfire on Facebook pages, in college hallways, at office
functions and in spin classes. Within six weeks of publication, the
three books of the series, Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, claimed the top three spots in USA Today’s Best-Selling Books list. Sales have topped 10 million. The series is so popular that last month, author E. L. James was listed as one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World“.
Red Room of Pain
The books in question are erotica that explicitly describe sexual
bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism (BDSM). The story follows an
unfolding affair between a recent college graduate, the virgin Anastasia
Steele, and handsome young billionaire entrepreneur, Christian Grey,
whose childhood abuse left him a deeply damaged individual, and who
enlists her to share his secret sexual proclivities. Steele is required
by Grey to sign a contract allowing him complete control over her.
Because of her fascination and budding love for him, she consents to a
kinky sexual relationship that includes being slapped, spanked,
handcuffed, and whipped with a leather riding crop in his “Red Room of
Pain.”
A few weeks ago, the book popped up as Amazon’s suggested buy on my Kindle. I declined. Like my friend, Dannah Gresh, I absolutely refuse to read these books.
Smut is Smut
Undoubtedly, the series portrays BDSM in the context of an engaging,
passionate, tender, romantic relationship that culminates in the
characters falling in love, and the conflicted girl assuaging the
billionaire’s troubled soul. But it doesn’t matter to me how the author
sweetens it up. The tasty red Kool-Aid doesn’t offset the bitter poison.
Smut is still smut.
I don’t have to read the book to know that it’s bad for women. Nor do
I need to read it to tell you that I think it would be unwise for you
to read it.
