“Ultimately, pleasure activism is us learning to make justice and liberation the most pleasurable experience we can have on this planet.”
This isn’t really a review, more like a few notes from the book that I really appreciated. But for what it’s worth, I’d give this book 5 stars, 10/10, A+ etc. I’m excited to get my hands on more work by adrienne maree brown as soon as possible.
On radical self-love
“Let’s call it: You will not move through this room and not know there is a Black femme in here who loves herself at least as diligently as oppression denies her. You will not have to guess. You will not not see her. She is not hiding from herself.” - Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Caring for ourselves is “not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” - Audre Lorde
On boundaries
“What would I be doing with my time and energy if I made decisions based on a feeling of deep, erotic, orgasmic yes?” - adrienne maree brown
“Your ‘No’ makes room for your ‘Yes.’” - adrienne maree brown
(mynomakesroomformyyesmynomakesroomformyyesmynomakesroomformyyes)
On Capitalism and the body
“…forced exploitation of regular, everyday capitalism” - Chanelle Gallant
means we are all selling our bodies. We sell our ability to work, our presence at workspaces, our appearance, our smiles, our professionalism…
“The problem isn’t sex work: the problem is that there is no escape for women and femmes from the expectation that we will perform sexual labor for men on demand.” - Chanelle Gallant
“Getting good wages is the harm reduction of capitalism, and poor/ working-class women and femmes are entitled to demand money and take joy in their cash.” - Chanelle Gallant
(PERIOD!)
“The body is not an apology.” - Sonya Renee Taylor
Again, for the people in the back. THEBODYISNOTANAPOLOGY.