“In touch with the erotic, I become less willing to accept powerlessness, or those other supplied states of being which are not native to me, such as resignation, despair, self-effacement, depression, self-denial.” - Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power, Audre Lorde.
I recently attended an erotic themed queer poetry night. Hosted by local community group Latin Curis, the event was held in a cozy studio room, illuminated by fairy lights, lamps, and the warmth of the summer’s evening. People were encouraged to dress in what made them feel good, ranging from comfortable pajamas to revealing lingerie. The intimate setting, complete with pillows and a spread of food, beckoned us to unwind and embrace our true selves. Erotic poems about sapphic love and pleasure were spoken, and in between these poems we were dazzled by a burlesque dancer. At the conclusion of the poems, we turned on some music and danced the night away.
I remember being surrounded by fellow queer folk, singing "Abracadabra" by Lady Gaga at the top of our lungs, when a strong sense of ecstasy flooded my body. In that moment, the weight of oppression, fear, and helplessness lifted, replaced by an overwhelming sense of joy and hope. It was a powerful reminder that while we may be living through hard times, this does not need to be our permanent reality. We can still find moments of joy, and that joy can enable us to feel inspired to envision a more beautiful future.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you don’t need me to tell you that we are living through immensely conservative times. Western societies are built upon the suppression of sexuality, favouring puritanical ideologies that vilify anything that exists outside of the white, two-gender, heteronormative binary. It’s no wonder fascism continues to have a firm grip upon Western countries. I worry about the cultural shift towards sex negativity that conservative leaders are pushing. But there is a way we can attempt to push back against the tide of repression: embracing pleasure through eroticism in all forms.
I worry about the cultural shift towards sex negativity that conservative leaders are pushing. But there is a way we can attempt to push back against the tide of repression...
According to writer and activist adrienne marie brown, pleasure is a birthright and a basic human need fundamental to our survival. Brown's concept of "pleasure activism" emphasises reclaiming our whole, happy, and satisfiable selves from oppression and supremacy. This encompasses not just sexual or erotic pleasure but also happiness, satisfaction, and contentment–natural human states often denied to marginalized groups forced into constant survival mode. Experiencing pleasure reminds us that suffering isn't our natural state, empowering us to seek liberation. This echoes the sentiments of intersectional feminist Audre Lorde, whose writings speak to the importance of erotic pleasure, especially for black women, as a source of great power and agency. When detached from pleasure, we're encouraged to distrust our natural instincts, feel powerless, and seek external guidance–a vulnerability fascism exploits by promising "order and control." By embracing erotic pleasure, we learn to trust our agency and as a result, we become much harder to manipulate.
It’s easy to feel defeated and helpless when our world leaders are crusty, old, power-hungry men who maintain their authority through the oppression of others. Our rights are constantly threatened, the communities we belong to are scapegoated, and we are time and time again othered by a society that glorifies white, cis, hetero, able-bodied men.
By stigmatizing pleasure and desire, especially when experienced by marginalized communities, those in power maintain control over our bodies and lives, suppressing our autonomy and agency. They do everything they can to poison the water hole, instilling a sense of hopelessness in us so that we do not attempt to fight back. This is where the importance of pleasure comes into play. Hopeless people surrender, but empowered, unified people fight back.
With all of this in mind, I think back to the erotic poetry event I attended and the pleasure it evoked in me. Not just erotic pleasure, but the happiness, satisfaction, and contentment that adrienne marie brown speaks to. This experience not only reinforced to me the value of pleasure, but also the importance of community. Erotic events offer a powerful form of resistance against oppressive systems. Something as simple as an erotic poetry night brought together a room full of folk who exist outside of the white, two-gender, heteronormative binary, fostering an environment where we could leave our hardships at the door and simply experience joy. In these spaces, we find freedom to express ourselves, connect with others, and tap into our own agency. Witnessing and being a part of that joy felt radical, because it is radical.
By prioritizing pleasure, we remind ourselves that we are more than the suffering imposed upon us–we are vibrant, deserving of happiness, and capable of creating our own liberation. By prioritising community, we learn to live alongside one another, counteracting the hyper individualism that capitalism, white supremacy, and patriarchy fosters. Accessing our pleasure is a tool for survival, and fostering environments where we can revel in shared pleasure will bring humans closer.
And we need unity in the face of division.
Citations:
Female Sexuality in Fascist Ideology - Maria-Antonietta Macciocchi
Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good - Adrienne Marie Brown
Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power - Audre Lore
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