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The 'Fifty Shades of Grey' author had a Twitter chat. It went off the rails BIG TIME.
#AskELJames is the hashtag. They might have seen this coming.
06.29.15
Here's the thing: No matter how you feel about BDSM (bondage, domination, sadism, masochism), most domestic abuse survivors and fetishists agree that what author E.L. James put out into the world with "Fifty Shades of Grey" is not an accurate description of it. Ever since the books have become popular, both camps have been outspoken about the fact that it more closely resembles domestic abuse than fair role-playing.
Here's how people made that point using today's prime Twitter-tunity.
There were concerned friends asking for other friends:
#AskELJames what's it like telling millions of women it's okay to be in an abusive relationship as long as he's rich.Asking for a friend.
— birthday boy matt (@reginaIdkray) June 29, 2015
There were people who took their time to craft just the right thing:
In honour of this monumentous occasion I'd like to share with you the #AskELJames tweets that didn't make the cut pic.twitter.com/AHxtRUHNLT
— Liam Dryden (@LiamDrydenEtc) June 29, 2015
There were people seeking guidance after her "model" didn't work so well for them:
My boss said no when I asked if I could kiss him and then I did anyway because no means yes right? Things at work are awkward. #AskELJames
— Anna (@thatswedishgirl) June 29, 2015
There were people searching for a sign of deeper meaning:
Was the violence you visited upon the English tongue a metaphor for S&M? If so, please share the safe word. #AskELJames
— Bumptious Ms. B (@angelinaburnett) June 29, 2015
There were earnest, straightforward types with damn good questions:
#AskELJames why did you think it was okay to teach young girls that a possessive partner who refuses to hear no was romantic?
— jess (mr. 305) (@woIfgangbogdano) June 29, 2015
There was pop culture cross-pollination:
#AskELJames Please write an account of how Sansa is now in love with Ramsay and just escapes Winterfell because of her overwhelming feelings
— Cersei the Fair (@NiceQueenCersei) June 29, 2015
There were call-outs about the times fiction turned into horrific reality:
#AskELJames did you know ur book helped r*pe culture and abusive relationships and has now led to copy-cat incidents https://t.co/Zzr0yGSHTD
— blige romanova (@THECAROLDANVERS) June 29, 2015
There were the folks feeling empathy for E.L. James' PR people:
The EL James PR team right about now. #AskELJames pic.twitter.com/bZ3jyIdPUG
— Deb Bailey (@DebBC) June 29, 2015
Finally, there was the question that drove home the point of the backlash and the brilliant irony of it all:
#AskELJames How does it feel to have something you agreed to do get alarmingly out of control?
— Gwen C. Katz (@gwenckatz) June 29, 2015
All of this points to readers who, like Christian Grey, have very singular tastes — you know, for responsible literature that doesn't romanticize abuse when it gets kinky. Let's hope the publishers and authors are listening.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."