Participatory democracy for your personal life

The Relationship Anarchist

Deepen Your Connections with Friends, Lovers, and Others

by Dr. L. Kris Gowen (Author) and Dr. Lauren F. Lichty (Author)

Explore your full capacity for love.

Many people’s life choices are shaped by high-stakes societal pressures to find “the one” and make them an emotional and financial partner, our lifeboat, our everything. Meanwhile, feelings of loneliness are at an all-time high and increases in cost of living and political divisions threaten too many of our safety and survival. The Relationship Anarchist invites you to build a resilient constellation of loving relationships—which may or may not include a monogamous romantic partnership.

Each chapter of The Relationship Anarchist provides prompts and tools to support you in rethinking and strengthening your relationship network. It provides a practical, empathetic path through the societal bullshit that limits us so we can open up an alternative, expansive future for all of our relationships.

Sexuality and relationship educators Drs. L. Kris Gowen and Lauren Lichty challenge cultural norms around how we “do relationships”—platonic, sexual, romantic, and others—by bringing together the principles of relationship anarchy, trauma-informed approaches, mutual aid, and healthy relationship practices. Beyond the binary of monogamy and polyamory, they invite you to take a queer, feminist approach to all the close relationships and friendships in your life and build true communities of care.

SUBJECT: Queer/Trans / Feminism / Anarchism / Relationships / Microcosm / Friendship

PUBLICATION: Jan 12, 2027

PRICE: $18.99

ISBN: 9781648414978

FORMAT: 192 pages, 5x8, paperback

WHOLESALE: Standard

CARTON QTY: 48

ART: N/A

Marketing Notes

A guide for people who want to have more love in their lives, but polyamory feels too limiting, cliquish, or just not for them
The book challenges cultural institutions for all types of relationships, not just romantic
Friendship and chosen family, as a core relationship equal to or more important than romantic and familial relationships, is a trend that's starting to grow beyond queer communities into the mainstream

L. Kris Gowen is a queer sexuality educator who has spoken nationally and internationally on the intersections of sex and technology. She has authored textbooks, teacher guides, and lesson plans to support inclusive school-based sexuality education. When not thinking about sex and relationships, she lives and breathes all things karaoke. Her book, One Nation Under Song, documented her epic road trip around the US where she sang karaoke in all 50 states (OK, she flew to Alaska and Hawaii).

Lauren F. Lichty (they/them) is a queer activist-educator who supports college students at the University of Washington learning about gender, sexuality, healthy relationships, and building strong, just communities. Lauren writes and speaks nationally and internationally about social justice teaching, participatory action research, cis heteronormativity, and ending gender-based violence. Outside of teaching, research, and writing, you can find Lauren single-momming, chasing sunsets, playing pinball, paddle boarding, or doing a puzzle.

A small, innovative publishing house, Microcosm Publishing specializes in work designed to make the reader feel good about being alive, take an active role in bettering their life, and impact the world around them. Microcosm has developed a reputation for teaching self-empowerment, showing hidden histories, and fostering creativity through challenging conventional publishing wisdom with books and zines about DIY skills, food, politics, and art. Our books are printed in the USA.