Protect Our Families: Stand up to 50 Shades of Grey in our Local Theaters!

As Valentines Day approaches, the release of the highly controversial movie '50 Shades of Grey' is also approaching. Not only is this movie highly pornographic but it is glamorizing and creating a fairy tale image of violent romanticism as well as communicating messages of degradation, objectification, and abuse.

Please join with me in communicating to our local theaters that we do not want this type of influence in our community and/or in our homes.

We are asking that those of you that are against domestic abuse, violence, pornography and are for protecting our homes, our families and our communities to please come together and make this known.

We ask that by signing this petition you will refrain from visiting the Lemoore Stadium Cinemas for any movie playing as long as '50 Shades of Grey' remains playing in this theater. The following letter will be given to the theater on Saturday, February 14th (the release date of 50 Shades of Grey) with our signatures.

Dear Manager of Lemoore Stadium Cinemas,

It has come to my awareness that you are planning to show the upcoming movie “50 Shades of Grey” in your movie theater. As a concerned parent and citizen in our community, I believe that the messages in this movie glamorize sexual violence and dehumanize men and women.

A study published in the Journal of Women’s Health in 2013 examined themes in Fifty Shades of Grey, with the help of abuse and sexual practice experts. The results revealed that the book has extensive instances of emotional abuse, sexual violence, and reactions by the victim that are typical of abused women. The conclusion of the study was this:

“Our analysis identified patterns in Fifty Shades that reflect pervasive intimate partner violence—one of the biggest problems of our time. Further, our analysis adds to a growing body of literature noting dangerous violence standards being perpetuated in popular culture.”

I cannot in good conscience support any establishment that spreads messages such as this through the showing of Fifty Shades of Grey or movies like it. Pervasive pornography already has a stranglehold on our society and I believe this movie perpetuates messages that hurt all of us, especially the most vulnerable, our children.

For these reasons I am choosing to protest the decision to show this movie by refraining from attending your theater for as long as Fifty Shades is shown there. Instead, I will choose to support theaters that are not showing the movie. Additionally, I will donate my movie ticket money toward local domestic violence shelters and toward causes that perpetuate love, human worth, and healthy sexuality. This issue is so important to me that I am encouraging my family, friends, and others in my sphere of influence to do the same.

Please know that I do not have anything against you personally. I have enjoyed my movie-going experience at your theater in the past. I am only doing what I believe to be right; standing up for the good of our community and our world.

Should you make any changes in response to this letter or others like it, please let me know so that I can thank you publicly and commence attending your theater. Thank you for any consideration you give to this important issue.

Sincerely,

Lemoore Residents
(signatures below)