50 Shades of Sexual Abuse: Misinterpretation of Romance and Healthy BDSM “I just finished reading the most incredible book…” ​​whispers a woman, secretly leaning into her friend's ear. next to her. “Fifty Shades of Grey!” The friend gasps and blushes, turning to look at her with wide eyes. “You mean the one about bondage?” The woman nods with a mischievous smile. Her friend starts to frown. “But isn’t this also the one where he stalks her, controls her and preys on her?” The woman hesitates but continues to smile. “Yes, but it’s so sexy and romantic! » Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get an Original EssayDespite what fans of the popular erotic novel claim, there is nothing sexy or romantic about manipulation and obsession, a common theme in Fifty Shades by EL James. of Grey. The series is extremely problematic due to its normalization of abuse, anti-feminist messages, and demonstration of unhealthy sexual practices, including inappropriate depiction of BDSM. Anyone who has read the series knows that Fifty Shades has a history of romanticizing bullying and controlling behavior. In the novel, Christian Gray keeps a GPS on the main character Anastasia Steele to follow her at all times, making her more of a pet than a partner. Gray further demonstrates her boundary issues and attachment by showing up when repeatedly asked not to, literally following her around, and often not allowing her to drive or see friends. He is obsessive in nature and dictates not only where and when to go, but also what she eats and what she wears, monitoring her body as if it belonged to him and limiting her food intake like a prisoner. Christian uses emotional manipulation and physical intimidation to force Anastasia to have sex, beats her with a belt when angry with her, and has uttered horrific lines such as "I might have to torture you." And “I will hit you six times, and you will count with me.” These are all alarming signs of an abusive relationship. Anastasia constantly expresses her fear throughout the novel of upsetting Christian, for fear of seeing his anger and being beaten, as any victim of domestic violence would do. In fact, according to House Of Ruth, many signs of an abusive relationship include being afraid of your partner's temper, being hit or shoved by your partner, not being allowed to see your family or friends due to jealousy of your partner, being forced to have sex, being forced to describe everything you do and everywhere you go to avoid your partner's anger, and believing that you cannot live without your partner. Anastasia herself said after being forced to have sex: “But now I feel like a receptacle – an empty vessel to be filled as one pleases. » All of these symptoms are clear signs of abuse. To make matters worse, the author asks the audience to forgive Gray for his irrational behavior due to his terrible childhood, which involved instances of physical and emotional abuse. Her story is meant to justify Grey's actions, and the main character is meant to pity him rather than realize that she is in danger. This is not only detrimental to the readers' mindset, as it implies that these dangerous and abusive traits are not only desirable, but are also the norm in a romantic relationship and can be scrutinized (especially if.