I am a feminist. Maybe not as outspoken as some, but I fall under that category nonetheless. I believe in women's rights, and equality, and empowerment. I believe misogyny exists -- whether we like to admit it or not -- and that women who stand up for what they believe in are ones to look up to.

That being said, I think your sexist views on "Fifty Shades of Grey" were founded in a very large garbage can, or maybe a toilet, and that's where they belong forever.

I'm just going to go ahead and assume everyone knows what "50 Shades of Grey" is about. I knew the storyline before I read the book, but that's not what enticed me. If I'm being truthful, I can't not read a book whose movie is coming out in the near future. I'm a literature major and a film studies minor -- this is the stuff I live for. (Also, Jamie Dornan was chosen to play Christian Grey, so... Duh.)

And let me make this abundantly clear from the beginning: I loved the books. I, a feminist, have read the series more than once, and I own the movie on DVD and Blu-ray. Not to say I don't have some issues with the writing style, but I don't think sharing her eloquent prose with the world was necessarily why E.L. James wrote it, if you know what I mean. I think she probably expected some harsh criticism, though the 100 million copies sold were well worth it, I imagine.

So I'm just here to say, go you, E.L. James.

I’m also here to further argue why I don’t think “50 Shades of Grey” is all that sexist.

I would argue -- passionately, even -- that “50 Shades” represents the exact opposite of sexism, and people might know that if they cared to look into the subject before going on about something they probably know nothing about. If all you saw was the movie, the only thing you should be saying about it is how good Jamie looked in that suit, or how awfully Sam Taylor-Johnson directed it -- not how the main character, Ana, can’t make her own decisions (because she can, and did), or that she was mentally and physically abused (because she wasn’t). Last time I checked, women are allowed to be a little kinky. And even more importantly, it genuinely shocks me how can anyone look past how strong willed and stubborn Ana actually is.

I’ll be the first to admit Ana is a piece of work, but you can’t read her and Christian’s story -- or watch it, for that matter -- and not be really impressed by her willpower. The story is arguably about how Ana changes Christian for the better -- she’s the first to deny him, stand up for herself, and make her own decisions. And blame the hopeless romantic in me who loves a good bad boy, but I think that’s what makes the story so great. And yeah, Christian is a little closed off at first, but aren’t we all sometimes? I don’t know about you, but when One Direction officially announced their hiatus, I didn’t talk to a single person for like, 48 hours. (Kidding. Maybe.)

I’m not here to be argumentative, though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t kind of, sort of, undeniably scream at the top of my lungs after the 1,000th class presentation I witnessed on sexism that used the film as their main point. But, like I said, I’m here to be civil. Of course, everyone is allowed their opinions -- we do live in America, after all. But aren’t we also always complaining about people who give their opinions about things they know nothing about?

I swear, if I see one more tweet or Facebook post that takes a “50 Shades” quote out of context, I’ll scream at the top of my lungs all over again, only louder. Also -- and I don’t know if anyone ever thought about this before -- but the story is a work of fiction. I get that literature and film certainly have an effect on their audiences -- I am one to attest to that, after all -- but why does everyone care so much about what a fictional character is doing with her life as long as she’s making her own decisions? I mean, I care, but only because I’m one of those annoying 20-year-olds who lives vicariously through words written by women more than twice her age. And even then, I don’t care in the sense that it bothers me. I’m just living my fictional life, minding my own fictional business, wishing I had a not-so-fictional rich boyfriend who took me on helicopter rides and bought me my own publishing company. Honestly, that sentence alone makes Ana more of an independent feminist than I am.

Besides, what happened to "free the nipple?" Or every woman trying to advocate that women want sex just as much as men do? Honestly, why isn’t the feminist community putting Ana on a literal throne and marching her down the streets and chanting her name for going directly from a 21-year-old virgin to being tied up every other day, and loving it? Because screw your stereotypes, and your gender roles, and your feminine expectations -- because a strong(-ish) female lead is putting them to shame, and that’s what we want, right? Don’t we want to erase all negative stigmas of female sexuality?

If you weren’t so wrapped up in the spanking and nipple clamps, you might acknowledge that there is a plot (and a stand being taken!) beyond the Red Room walls. All you have to do is push aside Christian’s whip collection to find it.