The Christian Grey Effect

So over the past month, one book has been been sweeping through book clubs.  50 Shades of Grey has been the topic of coffee talk, lunchroom banter, and has ton's of women swooning.  And across the country, people are scratching their heads wondering why this book has captured so many readers.  Some people say it is due to the racy sex scenes and called it "mommy porn."  But Harlequin Romances and Zane have given us a full spectrum of sexy stories in the past so writing about sex isn't new.  Others have called the appeal the look into a forbidden world of a  dominant-submissive sexual relationship.  Ummm, maybe?  But a quick internet search could give you a free video look into the dom-sub world.  I think the appeal is something different.  I think that women are flocking to the book because of the main character - Christian Grey. 

I believe women are drawn to this strong male figure because of what he represents.  Grey is the strong male, the alpha male.  He is a leader, visionary, decision maker.  He provides for his girlfriend/lover/submissive and meets all of her needs.  He handles business.  And the icing on the cake is that he is good in bed.  All in all it's a winning combination. 

I think the book offers many wives a sense of escape.  Follow me here.. I think that most wives are overworked in their relationships.  I think many women are secret heads of household out of necessity.  I say out of necessity because many men have no idea how to be household leaders.  Many men cannot or will not think past their own needs and really embrace what it means to be head of the home.  So women are made into pants wearers by default.  And that can be tiring.  But Christin Grey is the antithesis of this.  Grey leads.  Grey meets the needs of his woman with ease.  In the book, she can rest easy knowing that he has her back. 

That level of security is probably the most sexy thing that is drawing women to the book.  Can women do it all?  Yep.  My inner feminist says of course!  Women do it all every day.  But that doesn't mean that we want to do it all.  That doesn't mean that it isn't exhausting.  That doesn't mean that many women wouldn't love a break from decision making, from worrying, from the stress from time to time.  Of course, I am not saying you need to be some one's sexual submissive to make this happen.  But women have to be open to the idea of submissiveness. 

Oh, shoot!  I used the "s" word.  Yep, I said it women have to be submissive in their marriage.  We have to learn how to fall back and let someone else run the show.   Now, I am not saying to fall back under just any ole' fool.  But fall back under a leader.  A true Godly husband is a leader, a visionary for the family and a wife works with him to attain the vision.  But there are too many husbands without a vision and those wives are looking for Christian Grey.  They are settling for Mr. Grey on the pages of the books while waiting for Christian Grey traits to show up in their husbands.