With the momentum of the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon still building and anticipation of the movie filling the air; it is no surprise that a few negative-nancies are surfacing. Recently in Cleveland, two outspoken radio DJs hosted a Fifty Shades of Grey book burning; claiming that it was all in good fun but also hosting the event under the guise that the book is offensive toward women. Although only about 25 copies were burned in the blaze, set fire atop a sand pit for safety purposes, attendees made a point of speaking their minds about why they were there. Some said that the book ruined relationships, claiming that it made women have too high of expectations of their men. Others stated that the book is demeaning to women and the writing is not up to par, so to speak.
It's interesting and comical that male guests of the book burning event claim the book to be offensive to women. As female readers we are aware of exactly what we are picking up when we purchase this book. We are not fooled nor do we come with blinders on. We know that we are reading a fun, sexually exciting, love story... there is no false hope for an intellectually challenging, literary masterpiece. Female readers do not expect a scholarly piece with this novel, we merely want to read something that will piqué our interest and pass our time in a way other than staring at the television screen. For book burners to claim it is offensive in a way we female readers do not realize, they are underestimating our intelligence and undermining our reasoning for reading Fifty Shades of Grey.
As for those who believe the book has ruined relationships, that is an unfortunate and false assumption on their part. If men truly believe that their relationship was or can be ruined by a book's contents, the state of the relationship was or is obviously not stable to begin with. Placing blame on a book and the romance it contains only shows how little attention a man has paid to past events; it is an excuse not a valid reason. For the book burners who felt destroying the book was a symbol of taking back relationships, or proving the books guilt in a failed marriage, maybe some deep thinking is in order. Just maybe, these men should take their wives or girlfriends heightened libido any way they can get it... and go out and buy them a shiny new copy of Fifty Shades of Grey.
It's interesting and comical that male guests of the book burning event claim the book to be offensive to women. As female readers we are aware of exactly what we are picking up when we purchase this book. We are not fooled nor do we come with blinders on. We know that we are reading a fun, sexually exciting, love story... there is no false hope for an intellectually challenging, literary masterpiece. Female readers do not expect a scholarly piece with this novel, we merely want to read something that will piqué our interest and pass our time in a way other than staring at the television screen. For book burners to claim it is offensive in a way we female readers do not realize, they are underestimating our intelligence and undermining our reasoning for reading Fifty Shades of Grey.
As for those who believe the book has ruined relationships, that is an unfortunate and false assumption on their part. If men truly believe that their relationship was or can be ruined by a book's contents, the state of the relationship was or is obviously not stable to begin with. Placing blame on a book and the romance it contains only shows how little attention a man has paid to past events; it is an excuse not a valid reason. For the book burners who felt destroying the book was a symbol of taking back relationships, or proving the books guilt in a failed marriage, maybe some deep thinking is in order. Just maybe, these men should take their wives or girlfriends heightened libido any way they can get it... and go out and buy them a shiny new copy of Fifty Shades of Grey.
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