Anne Rice Defends ‘Fifty Shades,’ Stands Up For Women’s ‘Imaginations’
Anne Rice wants everyone to stop picking on Fifty Shades of Grey. What’s more, the acclaimed writer wants folks to leave fans of E.L. James’ kinky story alone.
The Interview with a Vampire author knows a thing or two about penning controversial erotica. Back in 1983, under the pseudonym A.N. Roquelaure, Rice wrote what would become the Sleeping Beauty Trilogy, a series of books that found the titular character exploring her sexuality. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty’s Punishment, and Beauty’s Release contained quite a bit of graphic sex and sadomasochistic scenarios.
Not surprisingly, Anne Rice has jumped to the defense of Fifty Shades of Grey following the release of director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s highly anticipated and much-maligned adaptation. In Rice’s humble opinion, people need to stop giving the story and its fans a hard time. Instead, just let them enjoy the experience.
According to Cinema Blend, the writer issued a lengthy post on Facebook about the controversy surrounding the movie. Not only is Rice standing up for Fifty Shades and its legion of loyal supporters, she is defending women’s “imaginations” and their right to explore the world of erotica without shame or judgment.
“I believe completely in the right of women to their own sexual fantasies. I believe in their right to write and read sexual fantasies, and I will always defend them (and men) against efforts to politicize or sanitize or patrol their sexual fantasies. There is inside of each of us a secret place where our desires rule without interference. That secret place is our imagination.”
Rice also takes issue with the fact that men aren’t criticized and shamed for enjoying kinky erotica. Since guys freely fantasize about submitting to women, the Rice wonders why the same can’t ring true for women.
“[Men] have always found their way to expensive brothels where professional dominatrices act out such rituals for their pleasure. Are women not equal to men? Don’t women have the same rights as men? I’m shocked by all the preaching about ‘Fifty Shades.’ I stand up for women, for their freedom, for their rights, for their imaginations, their hearts.”
Anne Rice isn’t the only one jumping to the film’s defense. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Fifty Shades star Dakota Johnson agrees with Rice that people are drawing the wrong conclusions about the story and her character, Anastasia Steele.
“I know that a lot of people, before seeing the movie, were thinking that maybe it’s promoting abuse and violence, but I think it’s actually doing the opposite. I really don’t think that [Anastasia’s] a weak, submissive victim. I think that she’s a strong woman who is fearlessly exploring herself emotionally and sexually.”
Do you agree with Anne Rice’s thoughts about Fifty Shades of Grey?
[Lead image via Facebook]
