Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good (brown)—Overview

What does genuine pleasure have to do with social justice work? How can joy and fulfillment become catalysts for lasting change?

adrienne maree brown’s book Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good asserts reclaiming our right to experience pleasure can lead to personal healing and collective liberation. If marginalized communities embrace joy as resistance, they challenge the systems designed to deny them satisfaction and wholeness.

Read on to discover how pleasure can revolutionize your approach to activism and social change.

Overview of Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good

Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good is a collection of essays, interviews, and conversations, written and curated by adrienne maree brown, that explores the transformative power of pleasure—both as a path to personal healing and a catalyst for social change. Throughout the book, brown examines what genuine pleasure means and how embracing it can transform your approach to activism from one of struggle and sacrifice to one that centers joy and fulfillment. brown argues that deeply understanding and reclaiming pleasure in your life will empower you to be more authentically yourself, and strengthen your capacity to work with other people to build a more just and joyful world.

(Shortform note: Like feminist author bell hooks, adrienne maree brown chooses not to capitalize her name. While hooks (born Gloria Jean Watkins) made this choice to emphasize her work and ideas over her personal identity, brown has stated that she chooses to write her name in lowercase because she enjoys having control over what she capitalizes and finds lower case letters more aesthetically pleasing. Her name will appear in lowercase throughout this overview.)

brown is an author, facilitator, and social justice activist whose work focuses on movement organizing and social transformation. She has written a number of articles and other books, including Emergent Strategy, in which she draws from nature to describe how transformative change emerges through small-scale, iterative actions rather than top-down planning. She also co-hosts two podcasts: “How to Survive the End of the World” with her sister Autumn Brown, which explores current societal challenges through science fiction, and “Octavia’s Parables” with Toshi Reagon, which analyzes the work of speculative fiction author Octavia Butler. 

In this overview, we’ll begin by defining pleasure activism, outlining its core principles, and exploring its historical influences. We’ll then go on to discuss why pleasure activism matters and the impact it can have on your life, from your relationship to your body to broader political change.

What Is Pleasure Activism?

Brown defines pleasure activism as the effort to reclaim our whole and most joyful selves in the face of oppression. She sees pleasure as our birthright and a basic human need. Further, she argues that feeling pleasure helps us feel psychologically whole and allows us to build the mutual trust necessary to work together for broad social change.

However, according to brown, many institutions and systems—including those upholding white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism—restrict or police pleasure, particularly for marginalized groups such as women, communities of color, disabled and LGBT people. Consequently, brown asserts that prioritizing pleasure is an act of political resistance because it challenges these oppressive systems and affirms all people’s right to joy and fulfillment.

In response to attempts to police pleasure, brown advocates a kind of justice work she calls pleasure activism. brown argues that pleasure activism works by challenging the power structures that have historically denied marginalized communities’ pleasure as a means to control them. 

According to brown, pleasure activism is rooted in five interconnected principles:

1. What we pay attention to grows. By deliberately shifting our attention from constant struggle to moments of joy—such as noticing a friend’s laughter or the movement of our bodies—we can expand our capacity for joy. The more we notice it, the better our brain gets at spotting and creating opportunities for pleasure.

2. Our actions shape our patterns. When we regularly choose pleasure-supporting behaviors, such as setting healthy boundaries or making time for rest, we develop a new set of default behaviors. As a result, finding pleasure slowly becomes a habit. Just as athletes build muscle memory, we can strengthen habits that naturally lead to more ease and enjoyment.

3. Working for justice should feel good. Sustainable activism balances the hard work of change with genuine delight. Instead of burning out from constant struggle, we can bring joy to justice movements by centering pleasure—through shared meals, music, art, and celebration—making the path to social change one that replenishes rather than depletes.

4. Balance is key. While hedonism advocates personal indulgence (such as overconsumption), pleasure activism focuses on finding sustainable enjoyment (such as savoring a shared meal or taking restful breaks) that replenishes us and our communities. This turns pleasure from a depleting private activity into a renewable resource available to anyone.

5. Clear boundaries create safety for real joy. By openly communicating our needs and limits—such as “I need quiet time after gatherings” or “I prefer handshakes to hugs”—we help create the trust and safety needed for genuine connection. When everyone’s boundaries are respected, pleasure becomes both ethical and sustainable rather than extractive or harmful. Clear boundaries allow us to experience deeper pleasure in our interactions, as we can fully relax and be present without fear of overextension.

Where Does Pleasure Activism Come From?

brown explains that pleasure activism is inspired by intersecting ideas from Black feminist thought, speculative fiction, and community organizing practices. More specifically, she identifies several thinkers who have helped shape the idea of pleasure activism as a tool for personal healing and a means of challenging systemic oppression. We’ll explore how each of these thinkers’ ideas influenced pleasure activism.

Joan Morgan on the Politics of Pleasure

brown says her definition of pleasure activism builds on the work of Jamaican-American journalist Joan Morgan, who introduced the concept of the “politics of pleasure.” Like pleasure activism, Morgan’s framework emphasizes that acknowledging and claiming Black women’s right to sexual pleasure is a political act. She argues that discussions of Black women’s sexuality have historically focused on trauma, violence, and oppression while neglecting pleasure, desire, and agency. Morgan advocates creating space for Black women to express and explore their sexuality on their own terms in order to move beyond narratives that define their lives solely by suffering or exploitation.

Audre Lorde on the Power of the Erotic

brown also cites the influence of feminist theorist Audre Lorde’s essay “Uses of the Erotic.” In this essay, Lorde suggests that “eroticism” is not just our sexuality, but a deep source of internal power that comes from fully experiencing your feelings, creativity, and connections with others. She argues that, when you tap into the erotic, you better understand what brings you real satisfaction—and that knowledge is revolutionary because it pushes you to demand more from life than what oppressive systems offer. Further, she writes that embracing this kind of erotic power is crucial for liberation; it motivates you to seek change because you want to, not out of external pressure or obligation.

Octavia Butler on Pleasure’s Role in Survival

Another influence on pleasure activism is science fiction novelist Octavia Butler, who portrayed pleasure and symbiosis as vital for survival. For example, in her short story “Bloodchild,” the human protagonist’s intimate bond with an alien species ensures both species’ survival. brown argues Butler’s work reimagines pleasure—instead of a frivolous personal indulgence, Butler highlights its role in building sustainable, equitable communities that promote collective well-being.

Toni Cade Bambara on the Relationship Between Pleasure and Revolution 

Finally, brown cites Toni Cade Bambara, a documentary filmmaker and social activist, as a major influence on her vision of pleasure activism. Bambara believed pleasure was essential to revolutionary change, famously declaring that “the role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible.” According to brown, Bambara demonstrated this philosophy through her emphasis on joy, creativity, and collective care in activism. She embodied these principles by supporting fellow writers, engaging in community healing work, and creating nurturing spaces for Black women’s artistic and political development.

Why Does Pleasure Activism Matter? 

According to brown, in a society that systematically denies joy and pleasure to marginalized people, pursuing your own joy is a radical act. She argues that when marginalized people insist on experiencing pleasure—through art-making, dance, satisfying work, nurturing relationships, and sexual liberation—it inspires others to do the same, eventually transforming communities.

We’ll outline how pleasure activism can impact the way you interact with your body, sexuality, relationships, and politics—all of which contribute to the work of healing yourself, your communities, and social and governmental institutions.

How Pleasure Activism Impacts Our Relationship to Our Bodies

brown explains that, when someone’s right to control their own body is repeatedly violated, they may learn to tune out physical feelings as a way to cope with that violation. This disconnection from bodily sensation is especially common among people from marginalized communities, who—through systemic oppression—are more likely to face experiences that deny them control over their bodies. For example, if a medical provider repeatedly dismisses or invalidates a patient’s symptoms, that patient may begin to doubt their own physical experiences—questioning whether their pain, fatigue, or hunger is “real.”

Pleasure activism offers an alternative path to reconnect to your body and reclaim your bodily autonomy by encouraging you to pay attention to what genuinely nourishes and energizes you, rather than following external rules about how you should feel or what you should want.

According to brown, reconnecting to your body has broader implications for social justice. As Sonya Renee Taylor argues in The Body Is Not an Apology, injustice often stems from people’s inability to accept and love their and others’ bodies. Taylor explains that when people reject their own bodies, they often project their shame onto others, perpetuating discriminatory attitudes and behaviors. This exacerbates people’s insecurities, which media and advertising industries capitalize on through shame-based marketing campaigns. Through this lens, embracing bodily pleasure is an act of resistance against the interconnected systems of oppression that perpetuate and profit from body shame.

brown also recommends somatic practices, which help you integrate your body and mind through mindful movement, breathwork, and focused attention to subtle physical sensations such as muscle tension, temperature changes, and weight distribution. The goal of somatic work is to develop heightened awareness of how you experience your body from the inside out.  By consciously attending to physical sensations, somatics helps you become more aware of your body’s signals and responses. This awareness can help reveal where trauma is stored in the body and build your capacity to stay present with discomfort. 

brown says that as you do somatic work, you might also notice that your body responds to stress and trauma in ways that are common to many people. For example, your breath might become shallow or your shoulders might tense up. Understanding these shared patterns can be validating—it helps you realize you’re not alone in how your body responds to certain situations, even across different backgrounds and cultures.

How Pleasure Activism Impacts Our Relationship to Sexuality

brown argues that sexual autonomy is fundamental to pleasure activism, with effects that extend beyond the personal to spark broader social change. By approaching sexuality with curiosity and joy rather than shame, she explains, people can reclaim control over their sexual expression, simultaneously challenging systems of oppression and transforming sexuality into a source of liberation. As people model sexual independence and mutual respect, their empowerment inspires others to do the same, inspiring collective change. 

We’ll explore how pleasure activism reshapes our relationship to sexuality.

Unlearning Sexual Shame 

Many people internalize negative beliefs about sexuality from societal messages, religious teachings, and cultural norms encountered throughout their lives. These internalized beliefs often manifest as shame, guilt, or anxiety around natural sexual feelings and experiences. 

brown argues pleasure activism challenges shame-based narratives by allowing you to explore forms of intimacy that feel genuinely pleasurable to you, regardless of societal norms about sexFor example,  masturbation and other forms of sexual self-exploration can help you identify and embrace what feels good.

Healing Sexual Trauma 

Brown argues that pleasure activism can be particularly valuable for trauma survivors because it offers a path to healing through reconnecting with their sexuality. This healing journey begins with small acts of body awareness, such as mindful breathing and gentle movement, and progressively builds toward understanding their desires and setting boundaries when being intimate with a sexual partner. By creating guidelines around consent, communication, and comfort levels, survivors can gradually rediscover their capacity for joy, trust, and intimacy at their own pace.

Reframing Sex Work 

Pleasure activism reframes sex work as an issue of fundamental rights and bodily autonomy. Brown cites research by Chanelle Gallant, which demonstrates how society expects women to provide sexual and emotional care without compensation across many contexts, from romantic relationships to household duties. brown argues that recognizing sex work as legitimate labor acknowledges the inherent value of sexual and emotional labor and that sex workers should be guaranteed fair compensation, more control over their workplace conditions, and the right to establish boundaries.

How Pleasure Activism Impacts Our Relationship With Each Other

According to brown, pleasure activism changes how we relate to each other by encouraging relationships rooted in honesty, mutual freedom, and shared joy, rather than obligation. When we follow pleasure activist principles, she argues, our relationships become sources of empowerment where we define our connections based on what brings us authentic happiness, rather than patterning our relationships around social norms that may not fit. We’ll explore how pleasure activism can deepen our relationships.

Validating Liberated Relationships

brown advocates the idea of “liberated relationships,” which discourage possessiveness and focus on the freedom and transformation of everyone involved, whether the relationship be romantic or platonic.

While many cultures often prioritize romantic relationships above all others, brown suggests that deep, lasting friendships can also exemplify the principles of pleasure-centered relationships and provide the unconditional love and deep understanding we often seek out in our romantic connections. For instance, brown speaks of her two-decade-long friendships, wherein her closeknit group of friends supports each other and fosters an environment of honesty, care, and healthy interdependence.

brown’s perspective on romantic relationship structures evolved as she explored pleasure activism. Initially, she believed that nonmonogamous partnerships were inherently superior to traditional monogamous ones. However, she later recognized that both approaches can successfully meet people’s needs—the critical factor isn’t the relationship structure itself, but rather how well it aligns with the desires of the people involved. She argues that the foundation of any fulfilling relationship, whether monogamous or nonmonogamous, lies in open communication about desires and boundaries that help everyone feel emotionally and physically fulfilled.

Finally, brown argues that boundaries are vital for liberated relationships. She introduces the concept of generative boundaries—dynamic agreements that encourage growth and connection. While traditional boundaries can feel like rules that are set in stone, generative boundaries are intended to evolve through open discussion of people’s underlying needs. For example, instead of saying “no texting exes,” partners might explore what makes this behavior feel threatening and create flexible agreements around transparency and purpose. In this way, boundaries become opportunities for building trust and understanding, while still protecting what matters to both people.

Reimagining Caregiving

Care relationships are ongoing interpersonal bonds where one person provides physical, emotional, or medical support to another who needs assistance, such as between caregivers and patients, parents and children, or nurses and those they care for. According to brown, care relationships are often seen as a dilemma between independence and dependency. Pleasure activism reframes caregiving as an avenue for mutual joy and connection, emphasizing that humans naturally rely on and support one another. This perspective transforms caregiving from a burden into a means for building community and deepening relationships.

Care and vulnerability are often seen as signs of weakness in our society, but scholars and activists are working to transform this perspective. brown argues that needing help creates opportunities for what she terms “vulnerable strength”—the ability to be both resilient and open to support from others. This concept comes alive in disability justice communities, where gatherings blend practical caregiving with artistic expression and celebration, demonstrating how moments of vulnerability can strengthen social bonds rather than diminish them.

Modeling Pleasure in Parenting

Parenting, according to brown, is a unique form of caregiving that offers the opportunity to help children understand their own pleasure and develop a healthy relationship with their bodies. To achieve this, parents must first understand and appreciate the importance of pleasure in their own lives to effectively guide their children. Brown emphasizes that this foundation is crucial for creating environments where children can develop a positive self-image, and where bodily autonomy and open communication are the norms.

Parents can encourage children to develop a healthy relationship with pleasure through intentional actions such as providing appropriate physical affection, shielding children from harmful body-related messages, and celebrating children’s physical abilities. They can also support their children’s development by engaging in age-appropriate conversations about bodies and boundaries, while also modeling healthy relationships.

How Pleasure Activism Impacts Our Politics

brown suggests that incorporating joy into political work can revolutionize activism by disproving the idea that pleasure undermines serious efforts for change. Embracing joy can, in fact, fuel and sustain movements for social change. Practically, this looks like organizing activities that promote nourishment and comfort—by, for example, offering good food at meetings, creating welcoming environments, and finding moments of ease amid struggle. Many community groups find that, when their meeting spaces are comfortable and inviting, participants’ engagement and enthusiasm increase.

(Shortform note: Social movements throughout history have effectively combined joy with purpose. For example, protest parties merge demonstrations with music and dance, making activism engaging while drawing media attention to important causes. Organizations such as Food Not Bombs blend celebration with service, as volunteers transform surplus food into free community meals. Similarly, guerrilla gardening initiatives convert neglected urban spaces into public food gardens, creating free and sustainable public food sources.)

brown highlights how art and cultural expression can bring joy and pleasure into political activism. Art can make political ideas more accessible by connecting with people on an emotional level, rather than relying solely on intellectual debates. She points to Favianna Rodriguez’s “Pussy Power” artwork series, which uses bold visuals to challenge patriarchal norms and spark discussions on gender justice and reproductive rights. Such artwork can engage individuals deeply through emotion and shared experiences, making complex issues more relatable and inspiring action.

brown also discusses how pleasure activism can influence policy. She cites harm reduction policies as one way to fight oppressive systems, creating healthier alternatives to dangerous behaviors rather than merely prohibiting them. For example, harm reduction policies call for drug users to be treated with respect and dignity, focusing on care rather than punishment. In practice, this would mean giving them clean needles and safe places to use drugs, helping to reduce danger while still respecting their rights to autonomy and safety.

(Shortform note: Harm reduction strategies for drug use, such as clean needle exchanges and safe injection sites, represent a significant shift from traditional abstinence-only approaches to addiction treatment. Critics argue these methods might enable drug use and negatively impact communities, while questioning their long-term effectiveness in promoting recovery. Some worry about concentration of drug activity near harm reduction facilities and whether managing immediate risks might reduce incentives to seek treatment. However, proponents say harm reduction approaches are effective; they prevent overdose deaths, reduce disease transmission, and connect vulnerable populations with health-care services.)

How to Practice Pleasure Activism

Pleasure activism is a framework that reimagines social justice work through the lens of what brings us joy and satisfaction. We’ll explore how to implement pleasure activism at multiple levels—from personal practice to organizational change—creating movements that sustain both the work and the people doing it.

Start With You

Begin your journey of pleasure activism by focusing on your personal experience of joy and satisfaction. brown encourages building a mindful connection with what truly brings you joy and satisfaction. To develop this awareness, start with simple practices: meditate regularly, keep a journal documenting moments of pleasure, and intentionally place objects that spark happiness in your living and working spaces. Also, connect with your body’s experience of pleasure through physical practices such as walking meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, mindful stretching, and body scanning exercises.

Build Joyful Communities

brown says that, when you share joy with others, those feelings grow even stronger. Building networks of supportive friends and neighbors creates spaces where everyone can be themselves. By having open conversations about both joy and pain, and celebrating each other’s moments of happiness, you weave resilient relationships that enrich your entire community.

Change Organizational Culture

Social justice organizations can become more effective by making well-being central to their work. When organizations create space for joy and connection, they strengthen both their impact and their sustainability. This is because people who feel connected and energized do better work. As such, brown recommends that organizers weave activities that bring people together—such as dance breaks, collaborative art projects, and team-building exercises—into staff meetings and organizing sessions. These practices aren’t just add-ons; they’re essential tools that build the relationships and resilience needed for long-term social change.

The physical environment people are working in plays a crucial role in this cultural shift, argues brown. Movement spaces—from community centers to campaign offices—can be redesigned to encourage joy through thoughtful elements such as comfortable seating areas, accessible art supplies, music stations, and open spaces for movement and gathering.

brown also stresses that  activist organizations need concrete policies and resources to actively combat burnout in social justice work communities. These might include mandatory rest periods after major actions, regular retreat days, and dedicated budget lines for collective care. This care could take various forms, such as accessing movement therapists, maintaining art supply stations, or establishing celebration funds for community victories.

brown adds that when evaluating organizational impact, leaders should expand their metrics beyond traditional measures of success. Key metrics might include: 

• Do our members feel energized after participating in actions? 
• How strong are the relationships between team members?
• Is our work sustainable for the long-term?

By prioritizing these human-centered metrics alongside other goals, organizations can build movements that are both effective and sustainable.

Make Justice Feel Good

The ultimate goal of pleasure activism, as brown teaches, is to make justice and liberation feel good. She argues that through intentional practice—from individual action to community organizing to society-wide movements—you can create movements and communities that sustain both the work and the workers, transforming not just what you do but how you do it. By embracing pleasure as a measure of success, you open new possibilities for both personal and social transformation. She reminds us that the path to justice can and should be filled with joy, making movements more sustainable, effective, and truly liberating for everyone.