Most people know about the newest craze with the trilogy of Fifty Shades of Grey. FaceBook and the blogosphere, as well as television are constantly tittering about this "revolutionary" book. I haven't read it (nor do I plan to), but I watched an interview with the author on 20/20. The author is a middle aged woman with at least one or two sons. She looked fairly normal, except for her apparent penchant for black leather. During the interview, she was asked if she wanted her boys (now or in the future) to read the book. She laughed nervously and basically said no way. Her answer lacks common sense. Her boys will likely be mercilessly teased and tormented about the contents by others. Even if I hadn't heard anything about the book, that serves as a warning. If a mother is too embarrassed for her children to read her work, then it apparently lacks merit. Reading the books, classified as "erotic fiction", is supposed to titillate and improve sex life. I've also heard it classified as "mommy porn". From what I gathered from her interview and various other commentary, the main theme is that of a man basically keeping a woman hostage and using her in sexually deviant ways. Bondage, sadism, and masochistic themes prevail throughout this novel. According to Dictionary.com, sadism, masochism, and bondage are all defined by degradation for sexual gratification. How exactly can degradation of a woman, as in this novel, be good for women? Can degradation of anyone be considered healthy, good, legal, or moral?
To the liberal crowd, there are many (dare I say 50?) shades of grey between right and wrong, depending on circumstances, especially when sexual intercourse is involved. Few or even no shades of grey exist between right and wrong for the morally conscious. Morally, the Church condemns pornography of all sorts -- including written. The Church also condemns sexual deviance. Yet, in today's world, pornography and sexual deviance are the implied norm since homosexual unions, promiscuity, orgies, prostitution, and even statutory rape are accepted by liberals. They argue they aren't in favor of the latter, but time and time again, undercover operations have elucidated complicity with this crime by terminating the after affects (abortions), preventing future after effects (birth control), skirting or even blatantly ignoring legalities, and not reporting instances of abuse. Sadly, the one abortion clinic in my state has even now been identified as promulgating this crime. pro-life advocates are labeled as anti-woman for enlightening the world of the sordid and often illegal events that take place in abortion clinics, while abortion giants like Planned Parenthood tout themselves as pro-woman. This novel also proclaims to be pro-woman, but with my knowledge of it, I cannot fathom how women can triumph when they are essentially being degraded for any reason.
Lest I come across like a prude, I will admit, with some embarrassment, that I read romance novels, some are even Catholic or Christian. I avoid anything labeled erotic fiction, but the novels I read have romance, including intercourse, scattered throughout. Never have I used a romance novel as a sexual manual, nor have I read them to achieve sexual titillation or gratification. As a matter of fact, when I note that my husband fails to measure up to the chivalry and romance in the novels, I turn to other novels. You see, fictional works are just that -- fiction. Real life seldom measures up to fiction in any realm. Yet, again, today's society blurs the lines between reality and fiction with their numerous shades of grey. True women do not need shades of grey, we need respect, honor, and love.
