Jackson Free Press

The American Family Association has no love for the release of the film "Fifty Shades of Grey” for the upcoming Valentine's Day Weekend.

In a news release today, the Tupelo-based nonprofit threw some shade of its own at the movie, which is based on an E.L. James novel of the same title, calling it sexually graphic and degrading to women.

“Nothing in ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ builds up society, respects or empowers women or demonstrates healthy relationships,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon in the release. “Rather, the film glorifies abusive relationships and glamorizes abusive tendencies such as stalking, bondage sex, intimidation and isolation."

This sudden gush of concern from the same organization that often disrespects LGBT women (and men) by calling them immoral. AFA also recently said the landmark Roe V. Wade decision, which protects the right of women to have abortion, is tantamount to a "war on women." Reproductive-justice advocates and people possessing a uterus, however, say abortion access empowers women to make decisions about their bodies that can have positive impacts on their lives.

A quick search of the AFA's website turned up no support of, say, equal-pay legislation at either the state or federal level. Also, while the AFA writes frequently on the harms of domestic violence, it's usually in the context of its tirades against the pornography industry and not simply protecting the safety of women.

"A more apt title for the movie would be 'Fifty Shades of Evil,'" Wildmon said in the release. "Without question, this film will have a corrosive effect on cultural views of what normative sexuality ought to be. Healthy relationships seek to safeguard the emotional and physical well-being of another; this film promotes inflicting emotional, physical and psychological harm on another for the sole purpose of self-serving sexual gratification. It is the epitome of elevating abuse, and we call on all theaters to reject promoting such abuse on their screens.”

In the meantime, AFA is supporting a social-media movement, #50DollarsNot50Shades, that encourages potential moviegoers to donate $50 to a local domestic-abuse shelter instead of going to see “Fifty Shades."

So there's that.

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Jarvis Dortch, a health-policy expert and advocate, said today that he will run for the Mississippi House of Representatives.

"There are a number of policy concerns that I hope to address during this campaign. Our state's failures in healthcare, education, and wages are all issues that keep too many Mississippians in poverty," Dortch, who is running as a Democrat, wrote in the announcement.

"To be completely honest, many of our local legislators are not doing the job of engaging the public and truly representing our needs. Our problem isn't that we have poor people that aren't working hard, but we have poor leadership working against them."

Dortch is competing in District 66, which Democratic Rep. Cecil Brown now serves. In the last round of redistricting, however, Brown's district was combined with that of Republican Rep. Bill Denny. Brown is running for Public Service Commissioner from the Central District. The new District 66 serves south Jackson, Byram, Terry, Raymond and Utica.

"Unless you have your own personal lobbyist, the game is rigged against you. And there are way too many legislators willing to play the game. I'm not naive but I'm also not so cynical that I don't believe it's worth fighting for change," Dortch wrote.

A previous version of this story misstated that Jarvis Dortch is running against Rep. Bill Denny, R-Jackson.

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