One of my parents has written to her MP about 50 shades of grey!!

jumpinjen · 10-07-2012, 09:32 PM

My new LO's parent asked me for 'a word' today - oh dear I thought, then she said it was about a parenting matter - OK - she told me that she'd been in the supermarket and there was a big stack of the books and two school girls were giggling over it. She bought a copy and is absolutely horrified and has written to her MP and said that books should carry age ratings like videos and games - she says all her colleagues think she over reacting and asked me what i thought - I have never read the book so I couldn't comment...... is it really that bad?

**FussyElmo** · 10-07-2012, 09:39 PM

I wouldnt let my dd 13 read it but it is an adult book and not aimed at school age children.

Not read it myself

**Twinkles** · 10-07-2012, 10:00 PM

I've read the first couple of chapters. It's basically soft porn. Badly written. Quite boring , lots of repetitive sex scenes. It's not something I will continue to read.

Funnily enough my son ( age 24 ) asked me the same question. ' Why don't books have age ratings/restrictions ?' I couldn't answer him.

**charleyfarley** · 10-07-2012, 10:06 PM

I haven't read it so can't really comment on it's contents but if it is soft porn then maybe there should be an age restriction on it.

Carol xx

**EmmaReed84** · 11-07-2012, 05:19 AM

To be fair, you parent has a very good point...

I haven't read the book and have no intention of reading it either... not my things TBH.

Those people who laughed at her... get her to ask them... "So you think I am over reacting? Well, if it was a film, would you let your kids watch it? Do you talk about sex with your partner in front of your children? Would describe in graphic detail your sex in front of your children?" Answer probably "no"... reply... "Why? why not? you think it is ok for them to read it, why so see it or hear it?"

point made lol

**Trpta108** · 11-07-2012, 06:11 AM

I agree with the parent.

**rickysmiths** · 11-07-2012, 06:36 AM

I haven't read it and have no intention of reading it.

I do agree with the parent though, because of the publicity the book has had places like supermarkets should be a bit more responsible.

Also given the enormous sales and so the places the book will be on sale, so should the publishers.

Maybe the book should be shrink wrapped so it can't be piced up and read.

Maybe the parents time would be better spent speaking to the manager of the supermarket and strongly suggesting the book is displayed out of the reach of young people and that he suggest it comes in wrapped.

Not sure what an MP can do.

**Boris** · 11-07-2012, 06:44 AM

I have read it and I would agree with your parent. Its definately not suitable for children, if it was a film it would be an 18 rating without doubt. There are lots of sex scenes using very explicit language (and not regular sex either IYKWIM!!).

Having said that I really enjoyed it!

**singingcactus** · 11-07-2012, 06:54 AM

I think it would be a shame to have reading material put even further away from kids, by banning certain stories. Most of the books I read as a teen would be banned, stephen king, james herbert and other horror and sci fi writers, as they all contain perverse sex scenes, and cruel sadistic and psychotic behaviours and characters, not to mention devil worship and demon raising etc.

I think the big picture needs to be looked at here rather than a knee jerk reaction to one story. Kids will only get out of a book what their experience and knowledge allows for. There are no pictures, it is not forced into their brains, they are words and any images the kids see in their heads because of those words have been put there by something else beforehand. Books are limited by the readers imagination not by the directors/producers/actors abilities to shock.

I think it is a terrible idea to ban books and put limitation upon who can read what. Plus it's totally unenforceable. Your parent is over reacting.

However that supermarket might want to be a little more careful, no one is going to want to buy a book priced as new, that has been read by a gaggle of kids. They are going to lose out on money.

(I haven't read the book btw, romance is not my thing, but I disagree with any kind of censorship of the written word)

**rickysmiths** · 11-07-2012, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by singingcactus

I think it would be a shame to have reading material put even further away from kids, by banning certain stories. Most of the books I read as a teen would be banned, stephen king, james herbert and other horror and sci fi writers, as they all contain perverse sex scenes, and cruel sadistic and psychotic behaviours and characters, not to mention devil worship and demon raising etc.

I think the big picture needs to be looked at here rather than a knee jerk reaction to one story. Kids will only get out of a book what their experience and knowledge allows for. There are no pictures, it is not forced into their brains, they are words and any images the kids see in their heads because of those words have been put there by something else beforehand. Books are limited by the readers imagination not by the directors/producers/actors abilities to shock.

I think it is a terrible idea to ban books and put limitation upon who can read what. Plus it's totally unenforceable. Your parent is over reacting.

However that supermarket might want to be a little more careful, no one is going to want to buy a book priced as new, that has been read by a gaggle of kids. They are going to lose out on money.

(I haven't read the book btw, romance is not my thing, but I disagree with any kind of censorship of the written word)

I agree with you to a point and my older teens have read books the same way you have and some of the classics have their raunchy bits.

I think the difference with this one is the publicity it has had and I get the impression from the op that it was quite young teens not older ones and to be fair they wouldn't pick up the kind of books you read because they have not been publicised as sexy.

**jelly15** · 11-07-2012, 07:07 AM

I have read all three books on my kindle to see what the fuss was about (badly wriitten and repeatertive but strangly addictive). It is porn though and should not be on a supermarket shelf without warnings.

LOOPYLISA · 11-07-2012, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by jelly15

I have read all three books on my kindle to see what the fuss was about (badly wriitten and repeatertive but strangly addictive). It is porn though and should not be on a supermarket shelf without warnings.

I agree here

**wendywu** · 11-07-2012, 08:39 AM

I am not a prude at all but just cannot be bothered to read it.

Got much better books in my case for holiday

**Bridey** · 11-07-2012, 08:55 AM

I think it is a very good point!

I also think children's books should come with rating as guidance for parents. On the back of a dvd you get "Contains some swearing and mild violence" - why not on books too?

**caz3007** · 11-07-2012, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by jelly15

I have read all three books on my kindle to see what the fuss was about (badly wriitten and repeatertive but strangly addictive). It is porn though and should not be on a supermarket shelf without warnings.

I am on the 3rd cos I want to know what happens, but I agree some of the sex scenes are fine for adults but not for children, they dont show sex as it should be and one of my friends was saying she was reading something and even adults are thinking their private lives are lacking cos they arent doing similar to the book, so what on earth would young teens think.

**ajs** · 11-07-2012, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Bridey

I think it is a very good point!

I also think children's books should come with rating as guidance for parents. On the back of a dvd you get "Contains some swearing and mild violence" - why not on books too?

This is a good idea, I used to buy my daughters Jaqueline Wilson audio books which we would listen to in the car etc, one night our babysitter called me to tell Me the girls aged 8 and 10 had been listening to one that was totally unsuitable for their age, I took it back to smiths and was given a refund but I wouldn't have known had I not been warned

**Jods** · 11-07-2012, 09:44 AM

hmmm 'teenagers' and/or 'older' children sniggering over sex scenes in a book, wow that was my biology lesson at school - not being rude but get a grip, do they truley understand the concept of what they are reading, can they contextualise, you should hve seen me and my best friend (who went to a convent school!!) reading my mums 50 positions of sex book whilst sipping gin at age 11 (yup wanten husseys we were thought we were sooo cool!!)

being honest if I saw a 5 year old reading it I would be on the phone to mensa x

**JCrakers** · 11-07-2012, 09:46 AM

Iv'e read all three on kindle for ipad and I wouldn't leave it logged in for my 10yr old dd or even my 13yr old son to read.
I enjoyed them although they are repetitive and not that well written.

Its very graphic in places with the wording and the sex scenes. A lot of the scenes arent romantic iykwim. I wouldn't want my dd reading it. I feel it shouldn't be available in supermarkets to just pick up and read. Children as young as 5yrs old have the reading ability and I feel it should either be shrink wrapped or it should have a parental advisory warning.

**jelly15** · 11-07-2012, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by samhunt

hmmm 'teenagers' and/or 'older' children sniggering over sex scenes in a book, wow that was my biology lesson at school - not being rude but get a grip, do they truley understand the concept of what they are reading, can they contextualise, you should hve seen me and my best friend (who went to a convent school!!) reading my mums 50 positions of sex book whilst sipping gin at age 11 (yup wanten husseys we were thought we were sooo cool!!)

being honest if I saw a 5 year old reading it I would be on the phone to mensa x

This is explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism, not your average sex scenes. Not what I want my teenagers who may soon be sexually active thinking this is normal practice.

**rickysmiths** · 11-07-2012, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by samhunt

hmmm 'teenagers' and/or 'older' children sniggering over sex scenes in a book, wow that was my biology lesson at school - not being rude but get a grip, do they truley understand the concept of what they are reading, can they contextualise, you should hve seen me and my best friend (who went to a convent school!!) reading my mums 50 positions of sex book whilst sipping gin at age 11 (yup wanten husseys we were thought we were sooo cool!!)

being honest if I saw a 5 year old reading it I would be on the phone to mensa x

Really! My daughter was reading Harry Potter before she was 6yrs and although I haven't seen any of the paperback in question my guess id that the print of Harry Potter was smaller and more words on a page.

To be honest if a 5yr old picked it up and read the words would they have the understanding? Not saying I would want a 5yr old to have access to it but....