The birds, the bees, and anarchy
Issue Introduction

The theme of this issue is Sex. The very word can elicit emotions from delight to anxiety. However, those reactions aside, the central function of sex, from mega fauna to microbes, is the reproduction of the species. It is only human sexuality which is over laden with social scripts that translate into pleasure or pain, often on a large cultural scale.

Religion and its historic enforcer, the state, cripple our desires and twists them into patterns to perpetuate their systems of domination; anarchy demands their liberation and autonomy. This means we can reconstitute sexuality and its social definitions for personal and social freedom on our terms, not theirs.

The articles herein make no pretense of being exhaustive of all human experience, but attempt to pose a position of sexuality consistent with the values expressed by anarchism.

Articles about gay sex, theories of sexual repression, or the myriad sensual activities which express themselves on the margins of our culture are not included, but certainly their absence does not imply a judgement.

Without our growing number of subscribers and readers, and the generosity of our Sustainers, what you are holding wouldn’t have happened. We thank them, as well as the talents of the many writers, editors, artists, and photographers who take our blank pages and fill them with compelling content and attractive illustrations.

FIFTH ESTATE

Radical Publishing since 1965

The Fifth Estate is an anti-profit, anarchist project published by a volunteer collective of friends and comrades.

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