tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046899680318163034.post5554470289178989018..comments2024-01-24T11:54:14.132+01:00Comments on Blindfish RSE: 50 Shades of Grey reading by a Sex and Relationship Educator Gareth Cheesmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02344656001803328758noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046899680318163034.post-33706623563377797332012-09-04T10:33:48.086+01:002012-09-04T10:33:48.086+01:00It distorts what a is healthy sex and relationship...It distorts what a is healthy sex and relationships but recognising this limits lots of the potential damage. I believe that is our job as sexual health professionals, to ensure young people who are curious about this story understand the bad examples in it. Gareth Cheesmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02344656001803328758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046899680318163034.post-49218908461914860212012-09-02T19:23:09.647+01:002012-09-02T19:23:09.647+01:00Thanks Gareth, On reflection, I do think the book ...Thanks Gareth, On reflection, I do think the book can open up an opportunity to think and talk about emotional abuse and signs of control. Although I don't feel as strongly as some do about the FICTIONAL Mr Control Freak Grey, I can see how his obsessive checking up on/tracking of Ana (even though he says it's for her own safety/security) could set alarm bells ringing (and can be discussed in the context of , say, the Freedom Programme's "Early Warning Signs") - that is, if 50 Shades weren't fiction. The fact that it is fiction, and in EL James'and the readers' heads, is something some of the more radical responses to the book elsewhere seem to have overlooked. BarbaraAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06102410975228470835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046899680318163034.post-4990568237642743892012-08-27T12:26:55.966+01:002012-08-27T12:26:55.966+01:00Hey Barbara,
Thank you for your comment. It seems...Hey Barbara,<br /><br />Thank you for your comment. It seems that porn in its many forms is opening up huge areas of discussion with young people. It should be recognised as a key influence on young people's views of sexuality. Their is a number of parts to this. <br />- Porn's influence/distortion of porn on people's expectations of sex<br />- The welfare of the performers <br />- The possibility of addiction <br /><br />50 shades is an uncommon expression (written media aimed at females as opposed to male visual) of porn/erotica. A host of issues to tackle. The more SRE workers who are aware of the issues raised by this work the better. The Autumn term lessons will be interesting. <br /><br />Regards <br /><br />GarethGareth Cheesmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02344656001803328758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046899680318163034.post-88056168526048456182012-08-27T12:26:07.857+01:002012-08-27T12:26:07.857+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.Gareth Cheesmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02344656001803328758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046899680318163034.post-41360031464233801722012-08-25T21:10:15.887+01:002012-08-25T21:10:15.887+01:00Many of the young people I work with through Sex E...Many of the young people I work with through Sex Education access a variety of porn, often using it to learn about sexual technique in the absence of any other reliable source, and privately. One of the first points I try to get them to think through is if anyone is being physically harmed or abused in any way in these materials. There's usually discussion about consent, potential for exploitation, safer sex practices, actors right to change their mind, the "reality" and what the porn might do to the viewer/reader in terms of their self esteem and expectation. Invariably we talk about how porn usually suggests 24 hour willingness and availability for sex,no holds barred, 100% mind blowing orgasms, and no problems getting in the mood. So there are a lot of issues already out there, including violent images and some practices which would bring tears to anyone's eyes. Every one of these issues appears in 50 Shades too, and although there are no porn actors being harmed by reading it, and the fiction is all in the mind of the author and the reader, there is potential for younger inexperienced people to get yet another distorted view about sexual expectations, availability, performance and so on. I think there's a lot of scope for discussion about consent, expectations and life aspirations. I am fully prepared, having read all three of the 50 Shades trilogy, to have whatever discussions are necessary to tease out what is healthy and what is not and to help younger people build self esteem and look forward to respectful caring relationships, recognising issues early and hopefully avoiding any situations without fully informed happy consent. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06102410975228470835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046899680318163034.post-27538767373290135202012-08-15T20:09:35.739+00:002012-08-15T20:09:35.739+00:00Hello Molly,
Thank you for your comments. As we t...Hello Molly,<br /><br />Thank you for your comments. As we talked about on Twitter this book could do damage if people read it and don't recognise that Christian's character is deeply troubled. He is not a good representative of the scene. I don't mind people reading them just don't mistake Christian for anything other then what he is!<br /><br />GarethGareth Cheesmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02344656001803328758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7046899680318163034.post-36089351670172905882012-08-15T17:36:31.632+00:002012-08-15T17:36:31.632+00:00The submissive you refer to in the 50 Shades Chann...The submissive you refer to in the 50 Shades Channel 4 documentary is me. I am glad you picked up on what I said in that sentence and see how this really does appear to be in direct contrast to Anna's experiences in the book. As a romance novel with a bit of naughty sex it is one thing but a reflection on healthy relationships and even more so on healthy kink based relationship the book is deeply flawed.<br /><br />To me it is such a shame that this book made the big time when there are in fact so many better written books about this subject already out there. <br /><br />I hope that any young people who do read this book and are curious do have someone they can ask for more GOOD reliable information. Knowledge is power and ignorance is dangerous in my opinion.<br /><br />MollyxxxMollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06092277852521491869noreply@blogger.com