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sadefola's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book in pieces, very slowly over the last year. I read it alongside all about love and Wayward Lives, which enriched both of those experiences. I’m happy that I discovered adrienne maree brown when I did, it was a period when I needed to re-orient myself towards self love and self awareness. Being able to casually pick up this book and challenge myself to learn, unlearn, and reflect on how I could begin showing up for myself was incredibly valuable
abudschalow's review against another edition
5.0
It was both tough to read this and took me longer than I thought it might, and also really am grateful that I read this. I enjoyed Pleasure Activism more than Emergent Strategy in that wrapping my mind around the concept of putting my own mask on first (referring to the safety presentation at the start of any airplane travel) before moving out into the world to support others is truly tough for me. In reading Pleasure Activism I am reminded that I am not alone in feeling this way, and there are so many ways of practicing how to meet my human needs for pleasure that I can incorporate into my life practices. This year I committed to focusing first on my own liberation before working in earnest for the liberation of others, and I think that this is a wonderful source of support in my work to meet this interest. I suggest reading this in the time that you need to do so. There's not much grace, learning or transformation in rushing toward ones liberation.
honeyedprodigal's review against another edition
5.0
The perspective of queer, womxn of color in the regard of indulging in pleasure as a force of resistance is so deeply important and powerful. There is no right or better way to do what is/feels good for you. This book is a great reminder, or maybe even an awakening, of the desire of subversive gratification.
In late stage capitalism where leisure is condemned and 'self-care' is sold in a package - this book is a beautifully written and liberating discussion of where the true power and freedoms are.
In late stage capitalism where leisure is condemned and 'self-care' is sold in a package - this book is a beautifully written and liberating discussion of where the true power and freedoms are.
koreamore's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
jess_k_reads's review against another edition
3.0
After reading only the book description and seeing the book cover, I really didn’t know what to expect but I leaned heavily on the description to guide my expectations. After reading the book, I would say the cover bears more weight in how you should prepare your mindset for the content of the book as a whole. I would say this book is less about activism or social justice in the traditional sense and more about a frame of reference or way of life that may lead some to greater access and agency to carry out works dedicated to activism, etc. for the long haul. In the book description, it specifies, “drawing on the black feminist tradition, [brown] challenges us to rethink the ground rules of activism,” to which I wholeheartedly agree is a main component carried throughout the book.
I didn’t understand how Section three was necessary in the book and how it tied back in to the main thesis - or maybe it’s more accurate to say, what I thought was the main thesis based on the book description. However, I did really appreciate its sub-section dedicated to sex positivity held in tandem with the aftermath of the #metoo movement. That section felt very relevant to the message of the book as a whole. Brown writes, “part of transformative justice is getting to the root of harm, and so much sexual harm is rooted in sexual shame and repression.” I was also skeptical about section four but with its focus on harm reduction, I was won over to being open-minded.
Ultimately, section one was the most impactful for me. I particularly liked Audre Lorde’s essay, Uses of the Erotic, for how it righted the very narrow usage of the word erotic: “The very word erotic comes from the Greek word eros, the personification of love in all its aspects - born of chaos, and personifying creative power and harmony. When I speak of the erotic, then, I speak of it as an assertion of the lifeforce of women; of that creative energy empowered, the knowledge and use of which we are now reclaiming in our language, our history, our dancing, our loving, our work, our lives.”
I didn’t understand how Section three was necessary in the book and how it tied back in to the main thesis - or maybe it’s more accurate to say, what I thought was the main thesis based on the book description. However, I did really appreciate its sub-section dedicated to sex positivity held in tandem with the aftermath of the #metoo movement. That section felt very relevant to the message of the book as a whole. Brown writes, “part of transformative justice is getting to the root of harm, and so much sexual harm is rooted in sexual shame and repression.” I was also skeptical about section four but with its focus on harm reduction, I was won over to being open-minded.
Ultimately, section one was the most impactful for me. I particularly liked Audre Lorde’s essay, Uses of the Erotic, for how it righted the very narrow usage of the word erotic: “The very word erotic comes from the Greek word eros, the personification of love in all its aspects - born of chaos, and personifying creative power and harmony. When I speak of the erotic, then, I speak of it as an assertion of the lifeforce of women; of that creative energy empowered, the knowledge and use of which we are now reclaiming in our language, our history, our dancing, our loving, our work, our lives.”
remigves's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
erikamince_'s review against another edition
I cried. I giggled. I came back alive. adrienne provides such a permissive perspective and a menu of options on how to feel good in your body, career, life, sexuality, etc. As a black queer woman, I felt incredibly seen and encouraged.
endleslybooked's review against another edition
3.0
I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting, so maybe that’s why I struggled to get into and stay in the book? The subsection on the Politics of Liberated Relationships was so beautiful and spoke to me more than the preceding 400 pages. That section was definitely what I was expecting out of the whole book, but was missing a little bit for me. All the same, so grateful that adrienne maree brown exists and challenges the norms in all the ways she does.
michrickwa's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.75