Pleasure Is a Protest

In a world that profits off our disconnection from our bodies, our joy, and our aliveness, pleasure is not frivolous. It is not extra. It is not indulgent. It is radical. It is necessary. It is protest.

We live in a culture that teaches us to numb, to obey, to suppress our desires in favor of productivity, perfectionism, and politeness. Especially for women, queer folks, BIPOC, and anyone whose body and voice have been historically silenced, the pursuit of pleasure is often labeled as dangerous or inappropriate. And you know what? It is dangerous! Dangerous to the systems that rely on our compliance.

Pleasure disrupts patterns and systems. It disrupts shame, silence, and subjugation. When we choose to feel good on purpose, we reclaim power. We say no to the stories that tell us our bodies are broken, our desires are wrong, or our worth is tied to how hard we work. We say yes to aliveness.

Pleasure can look like a deep belly laugh, a slow dance alone in your room, a long nap in the middle of a busy day. It can look like sacred sex, conscious self-touch, delicious food eaten slowly, or the courage to say, “I want more.”

Every act of embodied pleasure is a reminder that I am not a machine. I am not here just to survive. I am here to feel. I am here to thrive.

For many of us, especially those on healing journeys, pleasure is not always easy. Trauma lives in the body, and reclaiming joy means feeling what’s been buried. And that’s why it matters so much. Pleasure is a powerful healing force. It helps rewire our nervous systems, restore our sense of safety, and awaken our birthright to feel good.

In a world that wants you exhausted, disconnected, and afraid, choosing pleasure is rebellion. It’s revolutionary. It’s an act of resistance. And it’s also an act of deep, tender love.

So, go ahead. Take your pleasure seriously. Honor it. Cultivate it. Celebrate it.

Because your bliss is sacred. Your desire is divine. And your pleasure is protest in the face of everything they told you not to be.

I used pleasure as a protest. I was such a rebel in high school. I was a proud slut. I wasn't afraid to go after guys I wanted. I had sex in my car outside of parties when everyone knew. I had dildos, and vibrators, and handcuffs. I talked about my sex life, unashamed. I knew it pushed people's buttons, and I wanted to push those buttons. I wanted my pleasure to cause a riot.

This was definitely a more reactionary rebellion using pleasure, built on purity culture and religious conditioning, and a hatred of all things my family wanted me to be. My protest as pleasure is much more embodied and sacred now. And both of these are ok! Figuring out your unique pleasure protest is a beautiful journey that you can't get wrong. This is also one of the reasons I created the Love Lab events! A space to rebel against what they told us we could do! (check out the latest Love Lab on my public workshops page)

And don't be afraid to claim pleasure event when it feels like the world is falling apart. Your disconnection from your own pleasure will not serve the cause. But your fully embodied act of resistance and love for your body will! Even if it feels like you are helpless in the wars, genocide, and starvation of this planet, you can always find pleasure anyway. As a response to it, to say "I will feel good even when you want me to feel bad". Then send your orgasmic energy to the people who need it most. Cover the Earth in your orgasmic energy, and I promise that even if you can't feel it, the energy will be known in even the darkest corners.

Still trying to figure it all out?

Here's how you can start to bring pleasure into your life daily with a short 5-minute practice! Use it to easefully connect to your body and awaken pleasure gently, intentionally, and without performance. You don't need to be turned on. You don't even need to feel sexy. You just need to be present.

The 5-Minute Pleasure Reclamation Ritual

1. Set the Space (1 minute): Find a private space where you won’t be interrupted. Light a candle, play soft music, or dim the lights—whatever helps your nervous system settle. This is your sacred time. Set a timer for 5 minutes.

2. Place Your Hands on Your Body (1 minute): Sit or lie down. Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Take a few deep breaths, and feel the warmth of your hands. Whisper to yourself, “This body is mine. This moment is mine. My pleasure is sacred.”

3. Sensory Awakening (2 minutes): Gently begin to touch your skin along your arms, thighs, neck, and face with loving, exploratory hands. Use your fingertips, nails, palms, or even a feather or soft cloth. Go slow and focus your attention exactly where you're touching. The goal isn’t arousal, it’s awareness. Ask yourself: What feels good right now? What wants to be touched?

4. Follow the Yes (1 minute): Wherever you feel even a flicker of delight, curiosity, or warmth, stay there. Breathe into it. Let yourself enjoy it. Let it be enough.

5.(Optional) Once you start to feel the sexual energy flowing through your body (even just a little bit), you can send that energy to the Earth, to the sky, to the parts of the world that are in wars, or famine, or genocide. You can share this energy with whoever you want anywhere in the world. This is another way we can reclaim our power!

Even five minutes of intentional pleasure begins to rewire your brain and body toward safety, worthiness, and joy. It tells your nervous system: You are allowed to feel good. You are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to have desire. That is protest. That is power.

INSPIRED ACTION: What would it change in your life if you held pleasure as a protest? How would you show up? How would you fuck? How would you move your body? This simple inversion could affect everything.