Zines

By Victoria Jackman

By:  Molly Muldoon & Will Hernandez, 2022, Paperback

Asexuality is often called The Invisible Orientation. You don’t learn about it in school, you don’t hear “ace” on television. So, it’s kinda hard to be ace in a society so steeped in sex that no one knows you exist. Too many young people grow up believing that their lack of sexual desire means they are broken – so writer Molly Muldoon and cartoonist Will Hernandez, both in the ace community, are here to shed light on society’s misconceptions of asexuality and what being ace is really like. This book is for anyone who wants to learn about asexuality, and for Ace people themselves, to validate their experiences. Asexuality is a real identity and it’s time the world recognizes it. Here’s to being invisible no more! 

Professor Davis makes a definitive case for aboloshing prisons, arguing for mass decarceration and transforming our criminal justice system—and our society as a whole. She draws a powerful parallel with other abolition movements that seemed impossible until they were successful: slavery, racial segregation, and other brutally exploitative systems. Davis expertly argues how social movements transformed these social, political and cultural institutions, and made such practices untenable, no matter how lucrative they were for the country's elites. We can—and, she argues, must—end prisons, too.

Zine, published by Microcosm What's the big fuss about sex, anyway? This series of poignant and hilarious comic strips share the author's stories of moments that, in retrospect, served as dead giveaways of her asexuality before she knew it was a thing. From missed signals to treating sex like a "character study," from consulting doctors to illuminating Tumblr explorations ("maybe I'm just bisexual"), these honest and relatable depictions of ace orientation offer laughs alongside insight into a frequently misunderstood experience. Read comics, dismantle compulsory sexuality culture, have fun!

Zine / pamphlet. Published by Microcosm! Microcosm bestseller! Dr. Faith is a counselor who helps a lot of people figure out their big questions in life. And one of the biggest ones she gets, like all the time, is from people who saw or read 50 shades and think "That sounds hot af" and want to try out some of the stuff in it but don't know where to start. Or they're worried about what it says about them that they think it sounds sexy to get tied up or tie up their partner. Or they want to do it and their partner doesn't or vice versa.  So she wrote this guide answering all her most frequently asked questions about BDSM—which, by the way, stands for a few different things, including bondage & discipline, domination & submission, sadism & masochism. There's a lot of other lifestyle lingo in there too, and science-based knowledge about kink play and why people are into it, and a ton of good, solid advice for deciding if and how to explore this side of your sexuality.

Stories, guidance, and candid advice for young adults about gender, being true to yourself, and calling for societal change. Down with the binary! Illustrated. Short discount.

By:  Chella Mann (Author, Illustrator), Ashley Lukashevsky (Illustrator), 2021, Paperback, Pocket Change Collective

Pocket Change Collective is a series of small books with big ideas from today's leading activists and artists.

     "What constructs in your life must you unlearn to support inclusivity and respect for all?" This is a question that artist, actor, and activist Chella Man wrestles with in this powerful and honest essay. A story of coping and resilience, Chella journeys through his experiences as a deaf, transgender, genderqueer, Jewish person of color, and shows us that identity lies on a continuum -- a beautiful, messy, and ever-evolving road of exploration.

Zine / pamphlet. Published by Microcosm! Dick Ain't Shit: An Illustrated, Pussy-Powerful Manifesto for Better Sex Now What could possibly be more important than understanding our own bodies and knowing how to have sexual pleasure? This handy zine details the basic facts for you: no one is going to teach you how to orgasm or masturbate, so you best start teaching yourself! And once you know what you like, you can teach your partner! Sometimes we have to take a few steps further back and look at whose body we are paying attention to during sex, the importance of both internal and external stimulation, and an understanding of the “experts” throughout history that led us to this belief that vaginal intercourse is the only sex and it works best for pleasure because it’s “natural.” essential reading.

Zine / pamphlet. Published by Microcosm! Disability & Sexuality: An Introductory Guide for Sex Educators & Able-Bodied Allies A brief introduction to the theory and practice of taking the ableism out of sex education. Starting with some basic concepts and terms (like "Intersectionality" and "Compulsory able-bodiedness"), moving on to a couple of moving, instructional poems, a primer on disability justice and the difference between "Sex life" and sexual culture, and finishing up with some practical talk about sex toys. A solid grounding to launch from as you begin to educate yourself as much as you need about this neglected topic.

Paperback. Published by Microcosm! In the distant future where hovercars flit between ruined cities, a sexy stranger comes to town. The hardworking cowboy owner of The Only Chance Inn is usually pretty hands-off, but when the enticing stranger turns out to be broke, he offers his own room. The immediate intimacy they develop is soon rocked by the stranger's otherworldly secret—and the innkeeper's fluid sexuality is put to the ultimate test, with supremely pleasurable results. In these 5 stories of erotic speculative fiction, S. Park explores attraction, belonging, and identity. A lonely pair meets cute at a hotel bar, a demon hunter meets his match, a computer tech negotiates their new office's alpha-beta-omega pecking order, and a fairytale prince on a hunt bites off more than he can chew. Steamy, kinky, and emotional, these stories explore masculinity, sex, submission, and dominance in ways that can only happen when very different strangers from different worlds encounter each other.

Zine / pamphlet. Published by Microcosm! Everyone Calls Themselves an Ally Until it Is Time to Do Some Real Ally Shit "Not everyone is a warrior. Not everyone wants to be in confrontational situations with the police and governments, or angry people, but most of the people who fall into this category are often pigeonholed as being a bull horn blow-hard and march organizer. Creating a culture of resistance and support requires us all to know what our strong suits and talents are and to cultivate them so they benefit the cause in a manner that is respectful and meaningful." Xhopakelxhit, a member of Ancestral Pride, (some badass, grassroots, indigenous, direct action land defenders from unceded Ahousat territory) made this zine about how to be an anti-racist/anti-capitalist white settler ally to people in all kinds of struggles - indigenous and otherwise.

By: Esther Eberhardt, 2016, Paperback, Zine

This pro-choice zine is an introduction to the history of underground abortion and a call to learn our history and to take matters in our own hands. It includes some information on menstrual extraction and a list of resources to learn more. Reproductive choice is not a "right" to be granted or withdrawn. "To know our history is to begin to see how to take up struggle again." Exceptionally well written and researched. If you are looking for more information about these topics, this is it! Timely and relevant!

Published by Microcosm! Ever since reproductive choice was legalized in the US in 1973, factions have been trying to strip the right to safe, legal abortions by any means necessary. Lately, they're getting their way. Fuck that noise. We'll keep fighting back, armed with the lessons of history. Read up with these zines and books both about organizing and finding abortion access, and learning the medical procedures so we can make informed choices about what to do with our own bodies. And, of course, taking care of ourselves and each other.  Includes two books and five zines: Hot Pants Alive With Vigor Reclaiming Our Ancient Wisdom Free to Choose Jane How to Get Your Period Wildseed Feminism #1

Zine / pamphlet. Published by Microcosm! A pro-sex, trans-friendly DIY sex toy making guide; reusing scraps like inner tubes and everything from restraints to strap-ons to whips, dildos, tit clamps and even a detailed instruction of how to make a tit/clit pump from an auto brake bleed kit! Lots of instructions and info on safety too. 

Zine, published by Microcosm Queer, Neurodivergent, Disability-positive Smutty Stories A beguiling collection of kinky queer smut, featuring steamy encounters that seamlessly incorporate characters' diverse disabilities into each scene. Let your imagination run wild in these stories celebrating the liberatory thrills of dom/sub play, gender fluidity, scintillating communication, and more, told with romantic flair and no shortage of juicy details. From canes to nerve pain, wheelchair use to depression, each page makes clear that people with disabilities have agency, autonomy, and hot sex. Some of these stories may push boundaries, so choose your safe word (one suggestion from inside: "communion") before partaking in their pleasures.