The movie adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey, which is set to open on Valentine's Day, is said to be tame in comparison to the original graphic story, but activists are taking advantage of the film's explicit reputation to raise money for victims of domestic abuse.
E.L James' erotic romance novel focuses on businessman Christian Grey and his naive lover, Anastasia Steele, and the consensual relationship they share, which centers around sexual bondage, domination, and sadomasochism (BDSM). Sponsors of the #50DollarsNot50Shades campaign are accusing Hollywood of glamorizing a relationship that they find to be abusive, and are encouraging people to donate money they would have spent on movie tickets, babysitters, and theater snacks toward "serving victims of abusive relationships like the one glamorized in the Fifty Shades series."
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