Updated: Panel by Hospitality House, Berry to examine ’50 Shades’ implications.

The Hospitality House for Women, along with faculty and students at Berry College, have organized a panel to speak on the recent film “Fifty Shades of Grey” has been moved to 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, in the Berry College Spruill Ballroom in the Krannert Student Center. The event is free and open to the public. The panel will be question-based and will allow both students and community members to consider effects the series may have, not only on individuals’ views of relationships, but also on society at large. The Hospitality House for Women will use this panel to shed light on the black-and-white issues surrounding the series, including domestic violence and sexual abuse. “We want to highlight some very plain, abusive behaviors Christian Grey has in the book and film, especially for people who may be thinking his actions are ‘dreamy’ and desirable when you start a dating relationship,” said Lauren Jones, Hospitality House outreach advocate. “Whether or not you’ve had the ‘Fifty Shades’ experience, this is a media phenomenon that will affect our community and society on the whole,” she said. “We really encourage people to come out to at least learn something about these issues. We’ll touch on gender roles and gender violence, dating abuse and sexual assault, and even the psychology behind these behaviors.” Panel members consist of Berry College Director of Women’s Studies Dr. Susan Conradsen and Sociology and Anthropology Department Chair Dr. Sarah Allred. Terri Cordle, associate director of the Berry College Counseling Center, and Kim Davis, executive director of the Sexual Assault Center of Northwest Georgia will also contribute as will Jones.