Saying "Isn't that what every woman wants?" is offensive in the extreme

In this case, we're talking about love, but whatever we're talking about, once you veer into the "every ___ person" wants this, you know (or should know) you're in trouble, even if it's something supposedly everyone wants, like, well, love. Talk about the romantic industrial complex, as my friend and fellow SXSW panelist Samhita Mukhopadyay calls it in Outdated. From a PageDaily interview with Lyss Stern, about 50 Shades of Grey trilogy. More from me about this soon, because it incensed me.

MM: Critics say the books are degrading to women because of the story line being based on a sexually dominant man. Is it?

LS: It isn’t because they are truly in love. The story isn’t as shallow as an older man taking advantage of a young, virginal girl, which is what people tend to assume when they hear about it. There is a real loving, caring, supportive relationship at play, and Ana and Christian enjoy amazing sex to boot. Isn’t that what every woman wants?