In 'Pleasure Activism,' Adrienne Maree Brown challenges traditional notions of activism by arguing that pleasure and joy are central to social justice and personal liberation. The book draws on Black feminist traditions and includes essays, reflections, and contributions from various feminist thinkers such as Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, and Sonya Renee Taylor. It covers a wide range of topics including sex work, climate change, race, gender, and the politics of pleasure. Brown advocates for a mindset shift in activism, suggesting that feeling good is not frivolous but essential for collective liberation and personal fulfillment[3][4][5].
Audre Lorde's "The Uses of the Erotic" is a powerful essay exploring the erotic as a source of power and creativity. Lorde argues that the erotic is not merely sexual but encompasses a range of experiences that connect us to our deepest selves and our creative potential. She challenges the societal suppression of the erotic, particularly for women and people of color, and emphasizes its importance in fostering self-knowledge and social change. The essay's central theme is the reclamation of the erotic as a vital force for personal and political transformation. Lorde's work has had a profound impact on feminist and queer theory, inspiring generations to embrace their sensuality and power.
Written by Kahlil Gibran, 'The Prophet' is a book of prose poetry that explores themes such as love, marriage, children, giving, eating and drinking, work, joy and sorrow, and more. The story follows the prophet Almustafa, who, before departing from the city of Orphalese, shares his wisdom with the people on a range of subjects. The book emphasizes the importance of freedom, self-knowledge, and the interconnectedness of all life. It has been widely acclaimed for its profound insights and has been translated into over 100 languages, making it one of the most translated books in history.
This book is not mentioned in the transcript, but the episode description mentions Rebecca Wragg-Sykes' book, 'Kindred', which is about Neanderthals. The book likely explores the social structures and behaviors of Neanderthals, offering insights into early human societies. It may challenge traditional assumptions about early human life and gender roles. The book's significance lies in its contribution to our understanding of Neanderthal culture and its implications for broader anthropological studies. It may also touch upon the broader themes of human evolution and adaptation.
This week we are rebroadcasting our interview with adrienne maree brown which originally aired in April 2019.
adrienne maree brown begins this week’s episode by asking, “If we were not ashamed of our pleasure, what would become possible? If we started to understand that pleasure is something that everyone should have access to, what would become possible?”
This week on For The Wild, we are exploring how to embody pleasure in its many forms with adrienne maree brown. Drawing upon Audre Lorde’s seminal publication, Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power, adrienne maree brown’s latest book, Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good, reiterates how once we truly know the pleasure of being alive, suffering becomes unimaginable. Above all, pleasure resides in our body, but many of us seem to forget this through lifetimes of social conditioning, performative identities, and the multitude of ways in which capitalism and patriarchy have filtered love and desire through the lens of ownership. Yet, whether we are cognizant of this or not, our pleasure and our liberation remain inextricably bound together.
adrienne maree brown grows healing ideas in public through her multi-genre writing, her music and her podcasts. Informed by 25 years of movement facilitation, somatics, Octavia E Butler scholarship and her work as a doula, adrienne has nurtured Emergent Strategy, Pleasure Activism, Radical Imagination and Transformative Justice as ideas and practices for transformation. She is the author/editor of several published texts, cogenerator of a tarot deck and a developing musical ritual.
Music by The Boom Booms, JB the First Lady, and Small Town.
Support the show
For The Wild 
