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What does it mean to seek pleasure in a world that denies your humanity?
Long misunderstood and often condemned, hedonism has been central to how queer communities have gathered, survived, and imagined new ways of living together. Through a queer lens, pleasure is not excess or escape, but a vital, sustaining force — what Audre Lorde called a “power for change.”
Across the world today, queer people continue to face rising hostility, inequality, and exclusion, shaped by intersecting social, political and environmental crises. In this context, the pursuit of joy, connection and desire remains both urgent and radical.
Drawing on histories of love and its many forms — from ancient philosophies to contemporary experience — Roses for Hedone invites us to rethink hedonism as a shared, transformative practice: a way to honour the past, build community in the present, and imagine more hopeful futures, together.
"Roses for Hedone explores queer hedonism not as a momentary phenomenon or indulgence, but rather a transformational route – whether via euphoric raves, inspired art, marching side by side in protest, or sharing simple delights – through which we can learn from our past, connect in the present, and look towards a more fair, hopeful future together." BRICKS Magazine
"A good reminder to take joy where you can, and make space for it, in order to fuel your ability to survive and fight for your rights and needs." The Bibliophibian
Prishita Maheshwari-Aplin has been writing about the experiences of the queer community – historical, personal, and political – for several years, drawing on their knowledge and connections as an LGBTQ+ rights campaigner and community organiser. Previously Politics Editor at BRICKS Magazine, they have by-lines in Gay Times, gal-dem, Dazed, Metal, and Cosmopolitan, among others. Prishita has also written for a range of scientific publications, including Triple Helix Cambridge, and is a co-author on a paper on the second plague pandemic published in Nature Communications.
Preamble
Introduction: Tradition
Chapter 1: Èros//Exploration
Chapter 2: Philautia//Emancipation
Chapter 3: Paidia//Expression
Chapter 4: Agape//Collaboration
Conclusion: Pragma