NEW YORK— Amidst the media buzz surrounding the release of controversial erotica film “50 Shades of Grey”, millions of couples and individuals are working the dark romance into their Valentine’s Weekend plans. The film, however, has not vibrated well within the BDSM community due to its depiction of an abusive and manipulative relationship disguised as BDSM, a fetish dependent on mutual understanding and consent. In protest, tens of thousands of members of the BDSM community have handcuffed themselves to their bedposts.

BDSM advocacy group Tethers of Trust have released the following statement in regards to the film and their protest:

50 Shades centers itself upon an abusive relationship that revolves more around the pleasure of an affluent, male billionaire than a healthy, commutative BDSM. While the film’s boring and naive protagonist may be captivated by this manipulation and mistreatment, the true BDSM community will not be. Thus, this Valentine’s Day Weekend, numerous members of our organization will cuff ourselves to our own bedposts in hopes of bringing awareness to the film’s shortcomings.

Following a lack of coverage of this demonstration in mainstream media, several hundred protesters have bound themselves in leather cords and placed rubber gags in their mouths to illuminate the lack of voice given to the BDSM community in the film’s news coverage.