Politics of Pleasure

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

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/

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/

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

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

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

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!

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

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/

Where do our impressions of love come from? What are our models for loving? We take a look at current representations of love in television and film across genres, keeping bell hooks’ definition of love in mind. 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 To learn more about Better Help and the AstroWorld scandal take a look at @therpyden on TikTok More on the James Webb Space Telescope: ​​https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59201590 The 100 Best Shows of 21st Century: https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20211015-the-100-greatest-tv-series-of-the-21st-century More on homonormativity: http://www.jprstudies.org/2016/07/first-comes-love-then-comes-marriage-homonormalizing-romance-on-american-televisionby-bridget-kies/ Follow @honeydewedhideaway on TikTok

This week we talk about accountability, community, capitalism, and living with love at the center of our lives. Listen as we unpack bell hooks’ All About Love in conversation with current news regarding the Facebook whistleblower, PornHub, Dave Chapelle’s comedy special, and more. PS - We faked ya'll out, apparently every episode is going to be the length of an Avengers movie.  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 Des Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha References and Resources Read All About Love by bell hooks: https://wtf.tw/ref/hooks.pdf On PornHub’s recent lobbying efforts: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/22/porn-industry-lobbying-513487 Take the Erotic Blueprint Quiz: https://missjaiya.com/ Follow @ashleighchubbybunny on IG

Welcome to season two! We’re switching things up with a new co-host, a fresh brand, and a different vibe. Get to know the new and improved Politics of Pleasure, and get to know our new co-host Des Jaha in the process. P.S. - We promise every episode won’t be the length of an Avengers movie, stick with us. Support Us Support Des Jaha directly: https://linktr.ee/desireejaha 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 References and Resources Follow @tara.raani2 on TikTok Follow @ajamonet and her project @visforvoices on Instagram Listen to Code Switch’s episode on BBL’s: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/code-switch/id1112190608?i=1000536999286

You guessed it again, we’re talking about cheating, and the findings of Eliza’s infamous Google search ‘ted talk psychology cheating.’ We reflect on infidelity in the broader culture, and how it psychologically affects the people involved. Resources and References Rethinking Infidelity Ted Talk by Esther Perel: https://www.ted.com/talks/esther_perel_rethinking_infidelity_a_talk_for_anyone_who_has_ever_loved?language=en The “Other” Side of Infidelity: The Experience of the “Other” Partner, Anxious Love, and Implications for Practitioners by Paul DePompo and Misa Butsuhara: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301715572_The_Other_Side_of_Infidelity_The_Experience_of_the_Other_Partner_Anxious_Love_and_Implications_for_Practitioners Shan Boodram’s attachment style quiz: https://www.thegameofdesire.com/throne Nia was *attempting* to reference the Enneagram personality test: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions Marianne Willamson’s weird sermon on white apologies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1Mxs06hBe8 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 Editing and Creative Direction by Nia Abram Content Production by Eliza Mott --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

You guessed it, we’re talking about queerness! Let’s explore the many questions that queerness prompts us to ask ourselves. Resources and References We highly recommend you watch Shon Faye’s full video “What Does it Mean to Be Queer?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDO2-sNF2s4&t=82s The Game of Desire by Shannon Boodram: https://www.thegameofdesire.com/ The Gender Unicorn: https://transstudent.org/gender/ On the shootings in Atlanta: https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-atlanta-shooting-and-the-dehumanizing-of-asian-women On the shootings in Boulder: https://jacobinmag.com/2021/03/boulder-colorado-assault-weapons-mass-shooting-massacre-nra For more reading on queerness check out Brown University’s queer reading list: https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/support/lgbtq/graduate-student-resources/queer-theory-reading-list 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 Editing and Creative Direction by Nia Abram Content Production by Eliza Mott --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

CW: This episode discusses content regarding sexual violence.  It’s time for our long-awaited episode on continuums of violence. Given we’re living through the violence of a pandemic, white supremacist fascism, and disaster capitalism, we felt it was necessary to take a closer look at the origins of the continuum of violence. May this serve as a tool for you to heal yourself and your communities, as we imagine joyful new realities for us all. Resources and References AOC’s video in response to the Jan 6th insurrection: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKxlyx4g-Yb/ Liz Kelly’s original paper on the Continuum of Sexual Violence against women: https://sci-hub.se/downloads/2019-09-05/90/kelly1987.pdf Nia’s article on continuums of violence and liberal politics: https://niaabram.medium.com/a-wolf-in-sheeps-clothing-on-continuums-of-violence-81adc2e84338 Sex, Love, Race: Crossing Boundaries in North American History an academic anthology edited by Martha Hodes: https://nyupress.org/9780814735572/sex-love-race/ The Revolution Starts at Home: Confronting Abuse in Activist Communities: http://criticalresistance.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Revolution-starts-at-home-zine.pdf 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 Editing and Creative Direction by Nia Abram Content Production by Eliza Mott --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

This week we’re featuring an interview with special guest, Toluwanimi Obiwole (she/they), a Nigerian-born, Colorado-raised multidisciplinary artist, scholar, medicine womxn, and consultant. *Pardon the BUMPIN’ audio this episode, we went a little too hard in the booth this time. We’ll spare your ears next episode! Follow Toluwanimi on IG: @toluwaob Find her website: https://www.toluwaobi.com/ Support Toluwanimi’s work: https://www.patreon.com/toluwaob Toluwanimi’s Resources for Erotic Empowerment The Spirit of Intimacy by Sobonfu Some https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-spirit-of-intimacy-sobonfu-some?variant=32154092011554 African Sexualities: A Reader by Sylvia Tamale http://fahamubooks.org/book/?GCOI=90638100320440 For a one-time donation to our show: Venmo: @Nia-Abram CashApp: $NiaAbram To make a recurring donation see the link below! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

After a hiatus, we’re back with a run down of sex, sexuality, and relationships in news and pop culture. Long story short, it’s time to #FreeBritney. Resources and References Salty magazine’s algorithmic bias study: https://saltyworld.net/algorithmicbiasreport-2/ More on algorithmic bias from a different perspective https://bloggeronpole.com/2020/06/instagram-quietly-admitted-algorithm-bias-but-how-will-it-fight-it/ For more on ethical non-monogamy follow @bygabriellesmith and @marjanilane on IG Read Gabrielle Smith’s critique on “There’s no ‘I’ in Threesome:” https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/a35475390/theres-no-i-in-threesome-review/ Listen to the Poly Pages podcast which does a critical reading of Ethical Slut NPR’s Invisibilia Episode on Empathy https://www.npr.org/transcripts/712276022 Episode Credits Intro Music: Princess by Ramzoid Transition Music: Easy Sunday by Bad Snacks Editing and Creative Direction by Nia Abram Content Production by Eliza Mott --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

We welcome a very special guest, Anjali Abram, Nia’s sister. Anjali is an ASMR enthusiast and aspiring content creator. She shares how ASMR has changed her life, helping her cope with mental health challenges. She also gives us an introduction to ASMR that showcases the beauty, depth, and diversity of this cultural phenomenon. Anjali’s Essential ASMRists *find them on YouTube Rach ASMR Sami Sample ASMR ASMR Gaming News ASMR Maddy Gentle Whispering Reiki Healing Hope SemideCoco Silver Hare Resources and References On Pornhub’s latest investigation and new policies: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-55304115 On Instagram’s new terms of service: https://mashable.com/article/instagram-terms-of-use-sex-workers-banned/ What is ASMR: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-savvy-psychologist/201910/what-is-asmr An academic overview of ASMR: https://www.psychologyinaction.org/psychology-in-action-1/2018/4/26/asmr-explaining-an-experience Episode Credits Intro Music: Princess by Ramzoid Transition Music: Easy Sunday by Bad Snacks Editing and Creative Direction by Nia Abram Content Production by Eliza Mott and Anjali Abram --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

This episode we go DEEP and LONG as we explore a fundamental, yet sorely overlooked question: what is sex? Defining sex for ourselves is one of many keys to unlocking true pleasure in our lives. We cover popular and scientific notions of sex, new ways of understanding sex, and our own personal experiences with sex. Episode References and Resources Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape edited by Jaclyn Friedman and Jessica Valenti "Uses of the Erotic" by Audre Lorde Phases of Sexual Response  Donate to Us Via Venmo: @Nia-Abram Via Cashapp: $NiaAbram Via Anchor: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/support Episode Credits Intro Supercut: Produced by Nia Abram Transition Music: Easy Sunday by Bad Snacks Editing and Creative Direction by Nia Abram Content Production by Eliza Mott --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message

This week we've got our first ever guest interview with fellow podcaster Bee (they/them), co-host of 1.5 Lesbians, a rising queer podcast based in Baltimore, Maryland. We talk capitalism, bi-phobia, self-discovery, and the controversies of being well-known on social media. You can find Bee on Twitter and Instagram: @namastaywoke Episode References and Resources The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship by Don Miguel Ruiz Episode Credits Intro Music: Princess by Ramzoid Outro Music: Easy Sunday by Bad Snacks Editing and Creative Direction by Nia Abram --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/politicsofpleasure/message