The Erotic

The Erotic, is a concept of a source of power and resources that are available within all humans, which draws on feminine and spiritual approaches to introspection. The erotic was first described by Audre Lorde in her 1978 essay in Sister Outsider, "Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power".^[1] The essay was later published in 1982 as a pamphlet by Out & Out Books.

Lorde's essay on the erotic conceptualizes the erotic as a subliminal power that all women possess that provides satisfaction and joy in several ways besides lust and carnal desire. Other feminist scholars moved on with Lorde's argument on the erotic's purpose in daily life, furthering this progressive theory into a more contemporary understanding of everyday life and modern porn culture. Since the foundational work set forth by Lorde, feminist discourses on the nature of empowerment and human exchange have been inspired by her writings.