REVIEW: 50 SHADES OF GREY - THE PORNO

See the review in full at our new blog here

Ta da... what we've all been waiting for (well me anyway) ...50 Shades of Grey the Porno! I have to admit, I couldn't wait to see it. I just had to see how bad it was going to be so I ripped it open, slid it into my laptop and proceeded to scrutinise every arse whipping scene.

An hour later, my overall impression was one of Torana rather than Audi, Fountain Gate rather than millionaire playground Seattle. Despite the movie being not too bad, the special details that we girls love were absent. No Louboutins, sexy office attire, well cut suits or fine food and wine; rather more satin Gasp dresses, stripper heels, pink passion pop and Franco Cozzo interiors. So very suburban.... (continued here)

Allie Haze

Ryan Driller

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WILL 50 SHADES SPARK A SEXUAL REVOLUTION?

The 50 Shades phenomenon might be so massive as to kick-start a sexual revolution.

If Germaine Greer's 'The Female Eunuch' was the catalyst women needed to leave their husbands and relinquish the life of domestic servitude that allegedly castrated them, then E.L. James' 50 Shades of Grey is the tool that has allowed women to discover the power (and not the impotence) of submission. A role that may, in fact, be closer to her true nature.

Whereas The Female Eunuch instructed women to reject the bondage of marriage and child bearing and embrace their sexual agency rather than allowing themselves to be treated as sexual objects, E.L. James wills us to find sexual freedom in power games, hard core sex and romantic love. In the context of the twenty first century, it has liberated many women's repressed desires.

The submissive 'Ana' is traditionally seen as having no power - vulnerable, passive and needy. Women struggle every day with power - she is disadvantaged and disempowered simply because she is the physically weaker sex. Every day she strives to empower herself and protect herself from being overpowered. She is always working to find, increase and express her power. 50 Shades of Grey shows us that we can 'play' with power for fun and pleasure rather than be confined in its serious real world struggle.

Ana feels powerful and beautiful when being the submissive. She knows too, that she has the right to choose if she wants to continue the game or not. It is the fantasy of having no choice that is the ultimate turn on however. As a submissive it can be very erotic to believe that you have no choices. Here I am tied up, gagged, blindfolded and turned on against my will. Poor me!!

The real power struggle between Ana and Christian is out of the bedroom. It is in every day life that Christian threatens to overpower Ana and where they must work to find an equilibrium. Ana feels powerless in the 'Mad Men' world that Christian inhabits. He exerts an unhealthy control over her personal, social and work life yet the power games 'with' her in the bedroom are far more healthy, modern and acceptable. The difference between 'power over' and 'power with' is at the crux of their relationship.

The Female Eunuch resonated with women who felt the patriarchy had 'power over' their lives. Germaine Greer described successful, feminine women as “the white man’s black man, the professional nigger.” Women could only achieve high positions within male-dominated structures, Greer argued, by using their feminine wiles to manipulate men’s “guilts and hidden desires." Forced to beg for any improvement in their social status, women have not been able to develop an authentic self; they are “impotent, insecure, inferior beings.”

Although written 40 years ago, women are everyday, still trying to exert their power within a patriarchal world. She is still, in many ways, the 'professional nigger', working within structures that have traditionally been male dominated and not yet suited to the feminine mindset. The side effect of this constant power play is often tired confusion and an inability to recognise and assert her sexual needs. For a tired, multi-tasking, assertive woman, being treated as a 'sexual object' has its benefits. Bring it on Christian.

Except Ana is no object. To Christian Grey, she is awe-inspiring, brave and fiercely loved. That is the combination that is so heady and masturbation worthy. If Greer's theme was about the importance of women undergoing a profound change in the way they viewed themselves and their relationships with men, then E.L. James' book has had a similar effect, but the vehicle is a modern love story not a polemic. And the result is not sexual equality but sexual liberation and finally, satisfaction. 

The taboo of the submissive woman might be directly related to the emancipation of women. It's just not politically correct to slap a woman's behind, gag and fuck her when she's working that same sore arse off to score equal pay, maternity leave and a place on the board. Any kind of bondage, spanking, rough play and dirty talk is banned by Australian censors. It's as though sexual role play and power play must be a reflection of society's standards and therefore condemned. 

But bedroom politics and power struggles are not real life power struggles. The conclusion is immature and patronising and has no doubt left a large proportion of women (and men) sexually dissatisfied and confused. When we read about a woman being trussed and spanked for erotic pleasure, it doesn't mean that we want the same 'bondage of marriage' that Germaine freed us from.

That is what has made 50 Shades so successful. It has helped us to inhabit our sexuality and understand that it is OK (and really hot) to want the rich sexual, and perhaps submissive, life of our choosing. It has separated the social and the personal rules and allowed women and men to play. Greer's ability to tap in to the zeitgeist and popularise its complexities is not unlike E.L James' uncanny knack of opening a door we didn't know was locked. Revolutionary stuff. Then again, I could just be a little over excited.

Images of the beautiful Dita Von Teese

DO YOU WANT TO GET A BIT 50-SHADES IN THE BEDROOM (or any other room)?

THIS SELECTION WILL SERVE YOU NICELY..

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ESSAY : A FUCKING GOOD FEMINIST

For all our feminist achievements, our sex lives are going down the gurgler.  The media is bursting with women pointing the finger and crying blue murder about misogyny and sexism, and yet I’m beginning to think that this has become counterproductive. We’re shooting ourselves in our collective fat arses and suffering the consequences in the bedroom.

Firstly, men love women, they don’t hate them. A shitty remark does not a misogynist make. I’m all for pointing out an indiscretion when I see it, but bringing men to heel is threatening our sexual satiety. For woman to come into her full power (the perfect balance to man), she must evolve without the assumption of a patriarchy. 

Demanding an equal playing field and the right to be the same as men, reinforces a woman’s belief that her own nature is inferior - striving to be equal to a man confirms her rank. When she comes from a place of oppression, the struggle must be to emerge as herself, not as her persecutor; equality on a woman's terms.

The fact that men are physically stronger, more competitive and ambitious by nature has allowed men, quite naturally, to control the social, political and economic landscape so far. Feminism’s problem, has been to try to alter this situation by encouraging women to be more like men (whose qualities threaten her) instead of fostering a culture where women’s characteristics, in contrast to a man’s, are celebrated and rewarded.

Women need to continue being their best and creating structures that reward femininity and resist deriding men for every indiscretion. This derision is transforming men into confused, hurt and vain metrosexuals who are just not that attractive, let’s face it.  And ironically, for all the advances in sexual equality, many exhausted women just want a man to provide, be gorgeous and screw her like she’s the last woman on earth. Christian Grey, a man who makes all the decisions will do nicely thank you. (50 Shades of Grey has just topped 10 million sales and cornered 25% of the adult fiction market)!

When women use male mockery as a tool for liberation, confusion sets in. Men begin to question their true nature, which is, to protect, compete and win whilst women become harder to conquer, love and cherish. If, on the other hand, a woman’s true nature (generous, nurturing, vulnerable) is heralded and valued, sexual liberation can begin to evolve and fulfil itself instead of stagnating as it is now. It’s like positive parenting - it’s better to reward the good behaviour and ignore the bad.

Undoubtedly, the equalising of our opposing natures, made possible because of feminism, has transformed us into richer and more whole individuals. Women enjoy independence and opportunity and men benefit from a greater emotional intelligence. But the sex has become so frigging boring. Men are suffering from all manner of performance issues and women can’t decide if they want the, now taboo, knight in shining armour or the waxed, buffed, politically correct nancyboy, who does the dishes but is crap in the sack.

It is sexual polarity that is the foundation of sexual passion, and for bedroom fireworks, male and female difference must be magnified not diminished. In a world where male and female essence is more closely aligned, we need to make an honest evaluation of our core sexual nature in order to be sexually satiated.


Ask yourself if you prefer to be sexually dominated (feminine) or to take the lead (masculine) most of the time. Great sex happens when one is the victor and one is the vanquished - butch/femme, top/bottom, master/slave. It doesn’t matter who is the giver and who is the receiver, but acceptance of one’s general tendency will guarantee more spark in the bedroom. If both partners are sexually well balanced, then roleplay will be necessary to ward off a passionless sex life.

"Now we are ready to move to the next stage, grounded in this mutual respect and equality, but celebrating the sexual and spiritual passions inherent in the masculine/feminine polarity."*

*The Way of the Superior Man, by David Deida


By Michelle Temminghoff

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