Is T4T Sex Praxis?: A Review of Michael Cisternino’s Communes and the Social Strike

Earlier this year, the Quest was contacted by Michael Cisternino ‘25 about the publication of their book Communes and the Social Strike from Lavender Menace Press. Cisternino graciously invited the Quest to read and review an ebook copy of their work, which costs $15 for a hard copy. In the interest of evening the playing field, I will now proceed to give an honest review of Communes and the Social Strike for those who do not have the means or the will to read it for themselves.

This book builds upon Cisternino’s senior thesis on 20th century anarchism (a missed opportunity for an illuminating Thesis Christ), and even references an anecdote by their thesis advisor, former Reed history professor “David Garett” (sic) (65). Communes and the Social Strike is only 80 pages long (including the bibliography), but in that brief time, this text valiantly attempts to be both a political manifesto and a how-to guide.

The first section of the book offers a broad summary of anarchism across the past century and argues that anarchists must be a part of future leftist revolutions to advance their vision of society, but that they must also prepare in advance for the revolution by taking actions of their own now. Cisternino also defines the goal of anarchist revolution as “abolishing class, gender, race, and other such assignments,” although it remains unclear how this goal is advanced in the vision of communes presented throughout the book (18). 

The second section of the book expands upon communes as the tactic that today’s anarchists need. In particular, communes are the radical, non-patriarchal alternative to living in one’s parents’ basement. Cisternino holds a distinctly negative view of family structures, arguing in the book’s summary, “so long as proletarians depend on their families to support them, they will be dominated by the orthodoxies of gender and politics that those families enforce.” They also focus on how transgender people are in a particularly important position to advance anarchist revolution due to the ways in which they are uniquely oppressed, remarking, “no one else can be trusted to abolish gender” (32). Cisternino further describes the goals of transgender anarchist revolution: “Ungovernable queer insurrection millions strong…will communise production … and ultimately annihilate society in favor of the free association of egoists—which is to say, libertarian communism” (33). This is a strikingly non-intersectional view of homo- and transphobia, where these forms of discrimination are presented as uniquely radicalizing. In this argument, there is little to no consideration of the additional challenges faced by people of color and the working class, whose queer identities compound upon the other forms of structural oppression they face under capitalism, even as Cisternino states the goal of “abolishing race and class.”

Finally, the book gives readers a guide to some key aspects of starting one’s own commune. In short, this vision of a commune appears to be functionally identical to having a really intense group of roommates: doing chores, having leisure time, and making decisions as a group. Cisternino limits ideal commune membership at a dozen. A main function of the commune, as described by Cisternino, is to maintain morale with “TTRPGs, karaoke, movie nights, [and] group outings” (40). Cisternino also later elaborates on their goal of making an anarchist TTRPG and explains that the commune should be straightedge. Personally, these specifications do not make me more inclined to joining or starting a commune of my own, but I appreciate having the full picture. 

The political activity of the commune is not explained in depth, although Cisternino suggests that communes in the global north should financially support their fellow comrades in the global south, but not guerrilla revolutionaries, even though they should ideologically support guerrillas in theory (53). On the question of employment, Cisternino offers sound advice to everyone, not just would-be communards, as they encourage people to make use of their existing skills and take advantage of benefits affiliated with jobs. These principles are justified in light of the future anarchist project: “While we intend the ultimate overthrow of state power, that’s no reason not to avail ourselves of whatever welfare money or other benefits it might throw our way prior to the open phase of the revolution” (50).

If you’re left wanting more, don’t worry: the book ends with two appendices on more practical matters. Appendix A advances “The Camberville Proposal,” or why Greater Boston is the ideal location for an anarchist commune due to the legalization of polyamorous marriage, which entitles legally married commune members to certain housing benefits. This area is also described as “ethnically cosmopolitan,” whatever that means (58). This situation also means that “us transgender anarchist communards…are uniquely positioned to bypass the gentrification of Greater Boston, to have our cake and eat it too” (58).  Appendix B ponders the possibilities of American anarchists moving abroad, including Cisternino’s personal fantasies about an anarchist Great Replacement.

While the layout of this book should not cloud the ideas within, it is worth noting that the online version of this book is formatted so bizarrely that it negatively impacts the reading experience. Footnotes take up more space than they need to, with copious empty space at the bottom of many pages. The footnotes themselves include everything from “personal recollections of a former comrade of mine” (24) to authorial digressions like “I want to elaborate on an earlier footnote, while T4T sex isn’t necessarily praxis, it certainly could be” (54). Cisternino does not clarify what makes T4T sex praxis in some scenarios but not others, leaving readers befuddled. 

This book also includes many sentences that range from confusing to absurd. “Trump has been doing everything he can to break Humpty Dumpty,” pronounces Cisternino, without explaining who or what Humpty Dumpty might be in this situation (36). Other sentences walk a fine line between formatting error and cutting-edge poetry: “Recreational drug use precludes [freedom] by destroying your ability both to exist in the world (by killing you) and to act in and upon it (by intoxicating in the world (by killing you) and to act in and upon it (by intoxicating you)”(sic) (46). Sometimes, the digressions of the text even reveal thought-provoking adages, like the following: “For example, if you are autistic and love trains, you can’t really drive a train as a hobby. You’d have to get hired as a train driver” (52).

Communes and the Social Strike is simultaneously too narrowly focused to have significant political takes and too vague to be useful for anyone who actually wants tips on starting a commune. The text frequently builds up the idea of a revolutionary future, while proposing very few actions that are revolutionary in the present. The quotidian approach to anarchist communes allows the text to offer nuggets of wisdom on the subjects of career paths for autistic train enthusiasts, economical uses for polyamorous marriage, and much more, even if burning questions like the political role of T4T sex or the precise relationship between communes and revolution remain unanswered. Overall, this should have stayed on the Substack.