With the soon to be released movie based on the book 50 Shades of Gray, the Tri County Women’s Centre is joining a global campaign called $50 dollars not 50 shades, to encourage people to donate $50 to agencies which address violence against women and girls and are working towards healthy relationship development.
“The book erotizes abusive relationships, normalizes sexual violence, and suggests that consent is optional and can be obtained retroactively”, states Bernadette MacDonald Executive Director of the Tri County Women’s Centre.
“The de-sensitization and normalization of intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women and girls, romanticized in this book, needs to be challenged. When public figures, like Jian Gomeshi, use this book to characterize their behaviour as normal and benign, it underscores the importance of all of us to express our displeasure with the messages this book gives.
“The $50 dollars not 50 shades Campaign encourages people not to go to the movie when it is released on or near Valentine’s Day, but to contribute the $50 they would have spent to see the movie on your local community based services that are working to address the harm from intimate partner and sexual violence.
Find your local Women’s Centre, Women’s Shelter, YWCA, and Sexual Assault Services in your community by calling your Town Hall. Most of these agencies have charitable status and can provide a tax receipt to assist in offsetting the donation.
To join this global movement go to: https://www.facebook.com/50dollarsnotfiftyshades?fref=nf
The site for the Halifax local of The Media Co-op has been archived and will no longer be updated. Please visit the main Media Co-op website to learn more about the organization.
