What Part of “Fantasy” Don’t They Understand?

Originally posted on Sexual Intelligence:

The success of “50 Shades of Grey” and news about Pornhub’s most popular search terms has too many people buzzing about the alleged dangers of each.

Both traditional conservatives and some self-identified feminists are condemning 50 Shades as encouraging violence against women. Clearly, these people know nothing about S/M, and not nearly enough about violence against women. Similarly, groups like xxxChurch and other anti-porn crusaders are dismayed that “teens” was the most popular porn search term last year, fearing this means we’re about to see a rash of adults trying to have sex with teens.

The panic about both of these things is founded on the persistent myth that enjoying a fantasy is the same thing as desiring it in real life. If that were true, millions of our neighbors would be punching their bosses, sleeping with their brothers-in-law, selling their homes to start over in Boise, or urinating…

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Valentine’s Plans by Sylvain Reynard

Originally posted on Bookish Temptations:

I’m so excited to have something very special to share with you from Sylvain Reynard. Y’all know he’s a favorite here at Bookish, and he’s written something that had me fanning myself as I read it, and then reread it…like a hundred few times ;)

Enjoy ladies…

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Latest edit and provocative thoughts….

Originally posted on fifty shades of grey and more:

Hello, ladies :)

Just a quick note to let you know that chapter 2 is freshly edited. I’m trying to work through the chapters in an effort to get back into my story (the epilogue – to be more specific) and fixing/prettying up along the way. I will also be placing following chapter links at the end of each page so you can easily go from one to the next.

Universal Pictures was kind enough to share these evocative images with me:

I like the “You should steer clear if me” one the best ;)

Then… Oh my, oh my, oh my! Love, love, love this melding of both trailers together…. *sigh*

From InStyle, a sneak preview of the movie soundtrack. 

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Still Alice (2014)

Originally posted on ccpopculture:

One of the unfortunate consequences of Australia’s long-delayed exposure to Oscar contenders is that the critical narrative around these films has coalesced long before they screen here. So it is with Still Alice, which the majority of critics have described as some variation of overly sentimental Alzheimer’s weepy that will win Julianne Moore the Oscar.

That consensus is simplistic but accurate. Julianne Moore is fantastic, as expected, depicting the titular Alice’s descent into early-onset Alzheimer’s. The problem with telling an Alzheimer’s tale is that it is inherently distancing, no matter how much time we spend with our subject. So much of our identity is wrapped up in memory that it threatens to turn into a conventional terminal disease narrative despite the title’s overt optimism. Still Alice doesn’t overcome that distance, and its regular use of soft lighting and melancholy piano melodies reduces much of the film to raw sentimentality.

The…

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SHE

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SHE.

Golden Globes are a bit less golden this morning, ‘but times, they are a changin’……..

Originally posted on melissasobservations:

Golden Globes were announced this morning and the lack of nominations for Outlander sadly reminds me of when the first reviews came out last summer and female critics were especially condescending.  At the time, I said their negative response was due to their yearning to be accepted by their male counterparts and fear that if they gave a positive review for a female-centric show, they wouldn’t be allowed to sit with the cool kids (men) at lunch.

I expected more from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but now realize they may actually have the same fears.  Quite obviously, it’s easier to simply check off a box for a product you know rather than put effort into something you don’t and it appears that’s what happened today. And even in 2014, a strong female lead can be frightening for the suits. But numbers don’t lie and both men and women are

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