FIFTY SHADES OF GREY:
EXAMINING THE ROOTS OF ITS SUCCESS

Lynne Schneider

DESCRIPTION: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, became a best-seller soon after it was first released as an e-book. Known for its erotic content and bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, sadism-masochism (BDSM) scenes, it quickly became a lightning rod of controversy. A Florida public library initially refused to carry it, until the overwhelming public outcry overturned that decision. It has been labeled as pornography and a ‘manual for torture.’ It has also been cited as the impetus for an increase in pregnancies due within a year after its initial publication. Fifty Shades of Grey has become a book club favorite – and a hot topic of conversation among women of all ages across the country. This one-time lecture will be a lighthearted examination of the controversies surrounding Fifty Shades of Grey. What is its appeal? What does the enormous success of this trilogy say about women, men, and our current culture? Why does this book resonate with some seniors? And, perhaps most importantly, what can we take away from these books to enhance our own relationships?

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Dr. Lynne Kolton Schneider is a Board Certified Sexuality Counselor and a sexuality educator. After graduating from Cornell University, she became one of the youngest students to study with Masters and Johnson -- while receiving Masters (NYU) and doctoral degrees (University of Pennsylvania). She has taught human sexuality courses on both the college and post-graduate level at many institutions, including Seton Hall University (NJ), Montclair State University (NJ), and Nassau Community College (NY). She has led full- and half-day clinical workshops on sexuality topics for medical professionals and psychologists/counselors and has also given lectures to the lay public on sexuality, intimacy, and communication.