The Principles of Anarchist Sexual Freedom

Throughout history, anarchists have sought to expand the boundaries of sexual freedom and liberate individuals from oppressive conventions. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, anarchists sought to reject the moral and legal restrictions imposed by the state on sexuality, particularly for women. In France, anarchist Emma Goldman was a prominent advocate of sexual liberation, and sought to challenge the idea that sexual pleasure was only for men. In Spain, the Mujeres Libres organization sought to create an alternative to the traditional norms of marriage and family, and argued for the right of women to explore their own sexuality.

Anarchists also sought to challenge traditional norms of gender expression. In the 1910s, Russian anarchists such as Alexandra Kollontai and Voltairine de Cleyre sought to redefine gender roles and create a new concept of gender egalitarianism. They argued for the right of individuals to choose their own gender roles, without being bound by social conventions. In the United States, the Oneida Colony of the mid-19th century sought to create a space for free love and sexual experimentation, where individuals could explore different types of relationships without fear of judgement or repercussions.

This manifesto establishes the six principles of an anarchist sexuality and eroticism based on autonomy, pleasure, and consent, and seeks to open a space for individuals to find their own unique forms of sexual expression and liberation.

The Principles of Anarchist Sexual Freedom

1. At the heart of anarchist sexual freedom lies the principle of autonomy. This means that individuals should be free to explore their sexuality without being bound by conventions or standards set by society or the state. This includes the freedom to choose how, when, and with whom one shares their sexual experiences. All interactions should be based on consent and mutual respect, without pressure or coercion from any external forces.

2. The second principle of anarchist sexual freedom is pleasure. This means that individuals should be free to pursue whatever type of pleasure they desire, without judgement or restrictions from external forces. Pleasure is seen as an inherent right, and individuals should be free to explore and enjoy whatever activities bring them the most joy, without judgement or consequences.

3. The third principle is consent. This means that all individuals involved in a sexual interaction should enter into it of their own free will, and should be free to withdraw their consent at any time. Consent is seen as an ongoing and evolving process, and individuals should be free to negotiate boundaries and terms that work for them.

4. The fourth principle is inclusivity. Anarchist eroticism seeks to create a space that is open to all individuals, regardless of gender, sexuality, or relationship status. All individuals should be respected and welcomed regardless of their sexual expression.

5. The fifth principle is experimentation. Anarchist eroticism encourages individuals to explore and experiment with different sexual activities, without fear of judgement or repercussions. This could include anything from exploring different fetishes and fantasies to experimenting with different gender roles.

6. Finally, anarchist sexuality seeks to create a space that is free from any type of harm. This means that all individuals should be free to express their sexuality without fear of violence, exploitation, or discrimination from any external forces.

The principles of anarchist eroticism outlined here offer a reference point for a world where individuals are free to express their sexuality without fear of persecution or judgement. As anarchists, we view eroticism as one mode of action aimed at creating a space for individuals to find their own unique forms of sexual liberation, and to explore and experiment with different types of pleasure. By embracing these principles, we can create a world where individuals can finally be free to express their sexuality without fear of violence, exploitation, or discrimination.

There are 47 Comments

"Anarchist eroticism seeks to create a space that is open to all individuals, regardless of gender, sexuality, or relationship status."

starting at what age? who determines the "age of consent"?

"The principles of anarchist eroticism outlined here offer a reference point," so feel free to answer your own questions.

I'm not the one who wrote this fine-sounding but quite empty set of principles, nor the one who posted it. To fulfill my role as reader, all I need do is ask a pertinent and quite obviously important question. Which I done did. If you can't answer it, move aside for someone who can.

Human anarchy is custom based. The customs of sexual readiness should be pubescence and associated adult adjacent intelligence. As the Trobrianders do like the children play doctor with themselves.

Yes, with themselves, and between children. Totally is fine that kids get into this stuff, and the adults looking too much into it you know what they are.

Presumably it's you and the other people you're about to get busy with will determine the age.

OP here. I did not use the expression "age of consent", which is a concept derived from existing legal frameworks. Obviously anarchist practices need an alternative to this. Moreover, invoking legal/state (moral) discourses around the age of consent effectively ensures that every child enters adulthood as someone whose ability to consent was controlled by the state before they ever had a voice, which is a problem.

To be honest I have not thought about this question enough, and will need to return to it as I fill in the gaps here.

"... which is a problem"

Why is it a problem? You've likely gone through this process and seem a well adjusted adult, even enough to challenge these things you're seeing as a problem. Perhaps it's not a problem? Perhaps without out these "problems" you wouldn't even have challenged it? Ever think of that?

The only problem, as we see it, are the turds whom keep circling around anarchist conversations that can't seem to stop trying to justify the sexual abuse of kiddos.

For many reasons not the least of which is how the current modern puritanical logic orders what human maturity is which is completely out of line with 99 percent of human history. Most of human sexual history was informed by custom not law and that includes sexual readiness.

"... out of line with 99 percent of human history."

Does your data set take into consideration 10000+ years? Asking for a friend.

I would like to see your Dunder Mifflin numbers if you don't mind. Because I'm still not seeing it as a problem.

And even within the last 10000 years you did not see ANYTHING like modern consent until VERY recently.

Oh well then it MUST be problem. Every egregore knows that change is BAD! Things should be like they were! In the good old days we didn't need things like modern consent! Hoooo boy!

based

However even the good things that happened recently due to things like fossil fuels should be noted. Consent puritanism that drives inevitable mediations and control on everyday life(Romeo and Juliette laws for instance) is not one of them. I'll take the pubescent customs over age based laws thank u.

That's a lot of words to justify your wanting to stare at underage anus while diddling yourself.

"It's okay because no-touch!!! Don't mediate my desires!" -SirDiddlezige

Exactly, because most adults are complexed and reified into a moral/cultural identity, they are the last ones who should advise adolescents on sexual expression nor divert their curiosity and personal preferences and desires away from natural fun and joy, not controlled by an older stultified generation.

No you misunderstood. Old is good, new is bad. We must return to pre-consentcuck times of yore!

OooOooh nOooo, ooOld is bORing, goO with the authentic selfhood !

It's very Reichian, like suppressing the orgasm is totalitarian fascism, equivalent to anarch 101.

Is law based and bureaucratic. I would suggest studying the police a bit more if you think AOC prevents sexual abuse, the police have a history of trusting "able adults" unless evidence that those adults are lying is staring them right on the face.

I personally think consent is a harder thing to grasp by declaring an age based on birth date, sexual health is a complicated/personal enough thing to determine without the exact day someone was born.

Culture grooms children totally, every anarcho-nihilist knows what initiation REALLY means !

I’m glad we have the incel virgins SirEinzige, Leway, and the Contemptuous brah to teach us about (no touch) child sexuality and how things should be in the world.

I admire a neo-Reichian aesthetic relating to orgasm function and empathic expression as the foundations to societal bliss,,,,,,sigh,,,,,there really is no release for you from the authoritarian yoke of sexual repression is there?

YeeEees, they will make children feeEeel bEtter with thEIr bOdies. Circumcisions, clitorectomies, gender roles, fertility hierachies, missionistic positiones, celibacy, socially accepted neurosis and condoned fetishes,,,

It's relevant to where/what society you inhabit, like some Polenesian islands with topheavy highly sexualized customs and a climate favouring nakedness and the inevitable lifestyles this normalizes.
In prisons, weEell, what can I say, what is the sexual preferences of anarchists in prison? Maybe that would be a good TOTW in the future?

What's the big deal about compassionate relationships between anarchists? I AM AN INCEL WHO IS PROUD TO JERK-OFF INSTEAD OF HAVING BORING RELATIONSHIPS AND OBLIGATIONS AND COUTESY TO OTHERS BY FAKING TENDERNESS WHEN ITS ALL ABOUT SEX REALLY,,,,ISNT IT? Huh.... Anyway we is keeping the wiorld population down. We will be the last ones standing!

"The fourth principle is inclusivity. "
this often runs contrary to free association. we choose who we relate to, while inclusivity usually feels forced.

Exclusivity is being forced OUT, so... yeah, both flips of this coin suck. Free association needs to happen out of something/somewhere... you can't just to this through walls and locked doors.

The right term would have been "openness". "Inclusivity" only means that your invitation-only orgies need more inclusive policies (according to ID pols of course), which means it might still be invitation-only, behind walls, n such n such.

Also make sure your invitation-only orgy is wheelchair-accessible!

Which needs oppressive instutions like marriage and child abuse in order to function.

Inclusivity?! Yeesh. Imma gonna have an ultra loose butthole tonight!

Stop placing so many rules on what I do with my bussy. Your list is dumb

whatever consenting adults get up to amongst themselves is their own fucking business. literally.

https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/lee-shevek-anti-sex-and-the-real...

So common is the conceptualization of reactionaries as having “anti-sex” politics that it is hardly remarked upon. They hate sex workers, they hate it when women and other marginalized genders have a lot of sex, queer sex, or extramarital sex, they want to keep children from any form of sexual education, etc. What do these all have in common? Sex! So it really must be that the right-wing is anti-sex.

It is an easy conclusion, too easy, and so reductive as to render itself useless as a framework for political analysis. Reactionaries are not, nor have they ever been, anti-sex. Instead, what they really believe in is the politics of compulsory sexuality and patriarchal sexual control. Not only is reducing right wing ideology to being simply “anti-sex” inaccurate, it also positions those in opposition to reactionary politics as necessarily “pro-sex.” This frames sex as an inherent political “good” to be defended, when in reality what is in need of defending is bodily autonomy and consent.

As an anarcho-nihilist I oppose tribal initiation rituals for adolescent boys and girls, regarding it as grooming and cultural brainwashing, just saying.

Anytime anarchists start defining principles they lose me. They begin the process of moralizing, prioritizing, and defining. If there is any space left to be free, can we please have that be sexuality.....oh, that’s right, we can’t. Anarchists can’t keep their grubby paws off of shit.

I mostly agree with you but wanted to call this out:

"If there is any space left to be free, can we please have that be sexuality?"

"Space" being "free" trips me out.

Not to reduce it all to nothing, but maybe start caring less about what the people not involved in your sexuality think? If your sexuality does, in fact, involve these people, then maybe you're conflating the intimate acts of sexuality with social acceptance/deviance, which anarchists are already familiar with and (hopefully) transgressing as they please

so ... the OP wrote an entire "list of principles" and when the topic of AOC is introduced, they (points for honesty) admit they haven't thought much about it yet?

...

ok! well, your work is cut out for you then!

They don't need to consider AOC because age is just, like, a number and it's ALL THEORETICAL, BRAH. Just follow their expert principles and MAYBE IT WILL BE GOOD, OKAY? Einstein never timetravelled why do you think these brahs need to have experienced sexual intercourse to tell people how to order their sexual liver? Hm?

"Sexual liver," while theoretically delicious, was a obviously typo. It's 2023 there should be an edit function

It's an allusion, OK?

“I ate his liver with some fava beans and nice chianti.”

I wonder if Favanoir prefers fava beans to dumpster poutine? Liver is rich in iron and essential fatty acids for those long, lonely nights. Brah?

missed again, "brah"! But why not the best of both worlds... dumpster poutines agrémentée with hearty fava beans fresh from the permaculture collective garden, eeeeeh?

OP here. There are so many things I still have to think through. Lots of work cut out for me. Writing is a process of exploration. I don't arrive here with everything worked out. I'm not nearly as advanced as the commentators here. It's impressive how they have a grip on, well, everything, and how they take the time to share their knowledge, and direct my work towards perfection.

Can't wait to work with you all ATR. Gonna be great. Anarchy!

"pedo" heckling, it seems like a lot of americans regularly dream about murdering pedophiles, LOL. You didn't even bring up children and age of consent in the essay, and our lovely state loving anarchists were sure to force that uncomfortable topic into the conversion! Hats off to you for not giving up on your erotic desires.

Maybe we can scrap that inclusivity bit, it seems like people now adays are more interested in avoiding the sexual desires of others than having sex...#6 is pretty wildly utopian, but i do think it's what a lot of people want. Would be an easier principal to fulfill without cameras and phones.

i deserve that snark! fair enough

but come on now ... some problems are more foreseeable than others, no?

maybe these mods you are hand wringing at think the possible reactions to your comments are very predictable?!

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