Anti-Porn Watchdog Proposes Changes to R Rating for ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’

Anti-porn watchdog Morality in Media issued a statement condemning the R rating for the upcoming film Fifty Shades of Grey, the highly-anticipated film adaptation of the E.L. James book, over what it says is a vaguely defined reason for the rating.

Last week, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) slapped the racy film with an R rating for “strong sexual content including dialogue, some unusual behavior and graphic nudity.” Morality in Media took issue with the phrase “unusual behavior,” according to Entertainment Weekly.

“What the term ‘unusual’ does not account for is the coercion, sexual violence, female inequality, and BDSM themes from which the entire Fifty Shades plot is based,” the group said in a statement. “Such a vague evaluation puts viewers at risk, sending the message that humiliation is pleasurable and that torture should be sexually gratifying.”

“We’d like to change the MPAA rating for Fifty Shades of Grey to read: ‘Promotes torture as sexually gratifying, graphic nudity, encourages stalking and abuse of power, promotes female inequality, glamorizes and legitimizes violence against women,'” the group proposed.

On the Morality in Media Facebook page, called Pornography Harms, the group said it was “gearing up for a major campaign with the release of the upcoming movie.” The group created several graphics for social media users to share with their networks, along with the hashtag #50ShadesIsAbuse.

The film, starring Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele, is set to be released February 13.