‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ Boycott: Activists Say Ditch The Movie, Donate To A Domestic Violence Shelter
Fifty Shades of Grey will not reach theaters until next weekend, but a grassroots social media campaign, going by the hashtag #50dollarsnot50shades on Twitter, is already calling for a boycott of the movie and asks moviegoers to donate $50 to a domestic violence center instead.
The group, on its #50dollarsnot50shades’ Facebook page, argues there is a better way for consumers to spend their money than paying to see Fifty Shades of Grey.
“The money you would have spent on movie tickets and a babysitter or movie tickets, popcorn and drinks will go towards serving victims of abusive relationships like the one glamorised in the 50 Shades series. Hollywood doesn’t need your money; abused women do.”
The Facebook page, which the group launched January 26, has 5,367 likes as of Thursday afternoon.
Mashable reports the #50dollars campaign has the backing of several sponsors, including the London Abused Women’s Centre (in Canada), the National Center on Exploitation, and Stop Porn Culture, and is co-sponsored by Antipornography.org, One Angry Girl Designs, and Provincial Association of Transition Houses and Services of Saskatchewan.
The group contends the film’s content is not only offensive and violent towards women, but also sends young men the wrong message.
#50DollarsNot50Shades Ditch the film & give to a DV centre instead, how about LAWC? Donate: https://t.co/6DYGnTQmeY pic.twitter.com/tlmbtDG1Ur
— LDNAbusedWomenCentre (@endwomanabuse) February 4, 2015
In an email response to the Washington Times, the campaign’s organizers say the group is thrilled with the attention the campaign is getting from the public.
“People are really upset about this movie and its potential for glamorizing stalking and abusive behavior, so they’re happy to have the chance to do something positive to help offset the damage.”
Growing support for the #50dollarsnot50shades campaign is not the only bad news for makers of the film. As the Inquisitr previously reported, the Malaysian Film Censorship Board made the decision to ban the film from being shown in the country for its “sadistic content,” “graphic nudity,” and “unusual behavior.”
Fifty Shades of Grey is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by E.L. James, and stars Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele and Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey. The film will premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 11 and will hit theaters across the U.K. and U.S. on February 13. One of the most highly anticipated movies of 2015, insiders expect the film to gross $60 million in its first four days, according to Deadline Hollywood.
[Image via YouTube]
