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If there were ever an occasion to talk about Audre Lorde’s “Uses of the Erotic” it’s now. In a highly political episode, we address the recent leaked Supreme Court opinion that threatens to overturn Roe v. Wade. This moment in history reminds us that our access to pleasure is intimately linked to the way that the State regulates our bodies. Audre Lorde shows us that erotic power is a source for change, and at a time when we’re searching for the energy to fight for liberation, her wisdom is power. Resources Roe v. Wade explained: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-is-roe-v-wade Read Handbook for a Post-Roe America by Robin Marty Donate to a local abortion fund in your state: https://www.thecut.com/article/donate-abortion-fund-roe-v-wade-how-to-help.html Read Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde, which contains “Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power” Listen to Audre Lorde read “Uses of the Erotic”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWmq9gw4Rq0 Follow @empressonyxx on TikTok Follow @allie_202_ on TikTok Pleasure Center: 1:38:11 Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://www.desireejaha.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

We continue our conversation on sex and talk about the foundation for our sexual selves: masturbation. We also discuss the first Amazon union, Elon Musk buying Twitter, and Tufts University’s new Black Maternal Health Research Center. Resources Interview with the organizers of the Amazon Union: https://jacobinmag.com/2022/04/amazon-union-staten-island-alu-chris-smalls-bernie-sanders-interview Tufts Black Maternal Health Research Center: https://now.tufts.edu/2022/04/08/tufts-launches-center-black-maternal-health-and-reproductive-justice Who to Follow: @kahlilgreene on TikTok Pleasure Center Starts: 1:21:07 Pleasure Mapping by Dr. Sakshi Tickoo:  https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sexloveandot.com/amp/pleasure-mapping Learn more about Niki Franco (@venusroots): https://www.venusroots.com/ Erotic Blue Print Quiz: https://missjaiya.com/ Pleasure Activism: https://www.akpress.org/pleasure-activism.html Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://www.desireejaha.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

Over here we don’t bump uglies, we bump energies. We’re breaking down how our culture defines sex. What is it? How do we name it? And how do our articulations of sex affect the type of sex we have? We also talk about the infamous Oscar slap, Jerrod Carmichael’s “Rothaniel” special, and the newest season of Atlanta. Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha Resources Watch the Chris Rock, Ricky Gervais, Seinfield, Louis C.K. clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il1sgQUtYs8 Follow along with the Gender Unicorn: https://www.transhealthsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/The-Gender-Unicorn.pdf Follow Basit on IG: @basitcom Follow Basit’s production collective Legacy on IG: @legacy.bqpc Donate to Trans Student Educational Resources (TSER): ​​https://transstudent.org/donate/ Adrienne Maree Brown’s Spell Casting Exercise (Irresistible Podcast ): https://open.spotify.com/episode/2FTEtK7u98pRsQPc0FlSzd?si=2d10ab8c644142fd Pleasure Center Starts at: 1:27:55 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

It’s Spring Break! This mini-episode is a loving reminder to slow down. You are deserving of rest. Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

We’re talking about non-monogamy and polyamory this week! It’s time to decolonize our relationships and start thinking outside the box of monogamy created by Western imperialism. We reference the brilliant work of Indigenous scholar Dr. Kim TallBear to guide our conversation. There’s also a lot going on in the political world this week sooo…*sucks teeth, rolls eyes* we have to address the crusty white men that run our planet or whatever, but don’t worry we still get some good laughs in. Pleasure Center Starts at 1:34:34 Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha Resources Listen to the Decolonizing Sex episode of the All My Relations podcast, found wherever you listen to podcasts. Read more of Dr. Kim TallBear’s work: http://www.criticalpolyamorist.com/ Follow @bygabriellesmith on IG for more on ethical non-monogamy Follow @chasestrangio on Twitter for updates on anti-trans legislation Follow @abbiesr on IG for more on TikTok misinformation Follow the creator of the iconic Earth is Ghetto theme song on IG @nikkialiah Read Maslow’s Whitewashing of Indigenous Knowledge: https://shanesafir.com/2020/12/before-maslows-hierarchy-the-whitewashing-of-indigenous-knowledge/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

We continue our conversation on misogynoir, this time delving into how it has impacted our sex and dating lives. May this episode be an offering of love and healing to each and every Black woman who has experienced misogyny and racism in their relationships. We deserve and will receive better. We also discuss the Super Bowl halftime show, Black capitalism, and Black futures as Black History Month comes to a close. Enjoy! Pleasure Center Starts at: 1:26:26 Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha Resources Our resources this week are our personal experiences. Just a lovely reminder that living and feeling are valid ways of knowing. Follow: @samorapinderhughes Washington Post Article on High Functioning Depression: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/02/17/high-functioning-depression-meaning-symptoms/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

If taking the red pill means waking up to a nightmare created by cishet Black men with podcasts, then we can stay sleep. Give us the blue pill. In a long-overdue conversation, we trace a throughline of misogynoir from past to present. This week’s episode is about naming and understanding America’s long-held violence for Black women so that we can release it, and make space inside ourselves for something new. Tune in to our most vulnerable and cathartic episode yet. Pleasure Center Starts at 1:42:26 Mental Health Hotlines: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1 - 800 - 273 - TALK (8255) Crisis Text Line: Text HELP to “741 - 741” SAMHSA Substance Abuse Hotline: 1 - 800 - 663 - HELP (4357) RAINN National Sexual Assualt Hotline: 1 - 800 - 656 - HOPE (4673) Mental Health Resources: Therapy for Black Girls Inclusive Therapists Black Mental Wellness Ethel’s Club The AAKOMA Project Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha Resources Read Moya Bailey and Trudy’s conversation on misogynoir: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2018.1447395?casa_token=IQHQ7CLKekgAAAAA%3A36ait_jOOENaXpZ_uGt5ctKXKNRTfTgNQ9bg2ki-ohkcU96w8EHkbM-wizeEbnUGuMe-6J-rpeRN5w Access academic articles for free on Sci-Hub https://sci-hubtw.hkvisa.net/ On Lauren Smith-Fields case: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/27/nyregion/lauren-smith-fields-bumble-date-investigation.html Nicole Young’s article: https://www.elle.com/life-love/a38819237/black-manosphere-online-dating/ On Mammy, Jezebel, and Sapphire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2teqoyPe3TU --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

We’re kicking off Aquarius szn with a conversation about compulsory heterosexuality and the chokehold it has on our society. We also discuss the limitations of comphet as a concept and how it excludes many Black, fat, trans, disabled folks in the queer community by centering those who occupy “default” womanhood. Pleasure Center starts at 1:28:54 Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha References and Resources Adrienne Rich’s article that popularized the term compulsory heterosexuality: http://users.uoa.gr/~cdokou/RichCompulsoryHeterosexuality.pdf Cosmo article on comphet: ​​https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sexopedia/a37224259/comphet/ American Survey Center on friendships in the pandemic: https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the-state-of-american-friendship-change-challenges-and-loss/ Follow @crutches_and_spice on TikTok --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

We’re going on a historical journey as we learn about the evolution of prison lesbians, and how this has shaped our modern perceptions of womanhood, lesbianism, sexuality, and race today. Resources and Sources Estelle B. Freedman’s “The Prison Lesbian: Race, Class, and the Construction of the Aggressive Female Homosexual, 1915-1965” https://www.jstor.org/stable/3178421?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents WWII Call to Arms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DJWWKJ8tDM&t=56s Rosie the Riveter Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55NCElsbjeQ Cold War Propaganda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByvXINerE_k&t=50s Lavender Scare Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuIYssjmlv0 On Queer Villains @rainbowhistoryclass: https://www.tiktok.com/@rainbowhistoryclass/video/6955720749004885249?lang=en&is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1 You can find all academic articles for free on sci-hub.se For a one-time donation to our show: Venmo: @Nia-Abram CashApp: $NiaAbram To make a recurring donation see the link below! Episode Credits Intro Music: Princess by Ramzoid Transition Music: Easy Sunday by Bad Snacks and June by Bobby Richards Editing, Creative Direction, and Production  by Nia Abram --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

Why can’t we have friendships that blur the lines of sex, love, and romance? We’re talking about romantic friendships this week. We also chime in on the racial disputes within the lesbian community, with a much-needed conversation on problematic white queerness. Tune in for a juicy listen. Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha References and Resources Listen to NPR’s Invisbilia podcast, find it wherever you listen to podcasts Stepping Off the Relationship Escalator: Uncommon Love and Life by Amy Gahran https://offescalator.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/OffEsc-book-1-PREVIEW.pdf Listen to Esther Perel’s therapy conversation with two friends: https://www.estherperel.com/podcasts/wswb-s5-episode1 Follow @miikaa_96 on TikTok Des's intention set exercise: 1:35:14 - 1:42:09 Cast a Spell is adrienne maree brown on Irresistible https://open.spotify.com/episode/4jz1nHBIdPBgeck9Jx4NLj?si=47a87b4af2fd4be5 Thank you to our dear friends Britt and Lou for lending their insights to this episode! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

Make love, make music. We’re talking about what music we’re bumping when we’re ready to get in the mood. We also get into how music shapes our ideas of sex as we discuss Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales, vibrators powered by music, and sacred sexuality. Share your sexy playlist with us, by tagging us on social media! Find us on IG: @politicsofpleasurepod Find us on Twitter: @pleasurepolitic Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha References and Resources More on Better Help: https://jezebel.com/the-spooky-loosely-regulated-world-of-online-therapy-1841791137 Listen to the “Sacred Sexy” episode of All My Relations podcast Follow @annatheaverage on TikTok for more data collecting vibrator knowledge Take a look at the women changing the sex tech industry: https://www.buzzfeed.com/claratsacwang/sex-tech-founders-are-changing-the-world-of-sex --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

Anyone else tired of white mediocrity? We’re talking about how we like to get nasty, featuring the original Nasty Girl, Janet Jackson. We also get into the white nonsense at the AMAs, Black female sexuality in the media, how we like to f*ck as Black femmes, and more. Support Us Support our show with a one-time payment or a small monthly donation to help us continue making impactful, transformative content. https://linktr.ee/politicsofpleasurepod Support Desiree Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha References and Resources Take the Erotic Blueprint quiz: https://missjaiya.com/ Listen to Marsha’s Plate podcast and follow them on IG @marshasplate Follow Diamond Stylz on IG @diamondstylz Kat Blaque’s reaction to Dave Chappelle’s The Closer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voiivxS3X3I Responsive vs. Spontaneous desire: https://getcoral.app/journal/3932/spontaneous-versus-responsive-desire/ On dopamine loops and the brain: https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2018/dopamine-smartphones-battle-time/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message