Christian Gray and Anastasia Steele will make their return to the big screen February 10, 2017 with Fifty Shades Darker. The sequel to Fifty Shades of Gray will hit theaters just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Many in the BDSM and kink communities frown upon the way the lifestyle is portrayed in the Fifty Shades books and movies. The exchange of power in any BDSM relationship should be based on mutual respect and consent, and there are a number of scenes in Fifty Shades of Gray that seem to violate that basic principle and cross the line from consensual to abuse.
The parts that don’t seem to cross that line and portray BDSM as abusive often err to far in the other direction–making it seem like it’s just some sort of role playing game. While the equipment and toys used, and the interactions between Christian and Anastasia seem edgy by mainstream standards, much of the playing and sex between the two is really more on the “vanilla” end of the spectrum.
Love it or hate it, though, there’s no denying that the Fifty Shades franchise has had a significant impact on BDSM. It has exposed mainstream society to a different world, and in doing so has both raised the bar for what is considered “normal”, and created a spike in interest. There are certainly some who felt compelled to test the BDSM waters after reading or seeing Fifty Shades of Gray and discovered that it was still outside their comfort zone, but there are many who were enlightened to the possibilities and were able to be honest about their own desires and embrace the BDSM lifestyle.
I don’t consider the Fifty Shades franchise to be a model of the BDSM lifestyle, but the first movie was OK. It was a bit slow, though, which is one reason I think the sequel will be better. Based on the trailer, and what I know of the book (I haven’t actually read the second book), this should be a more thrilling and engaging story.
I am looking forward to Valentine’s Day 2017 to go check it out. Do you plan to see Fifty Shades Darker?
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