A sneak peek of the Anonymous Sex Journal's collaboration with Riposte Magazine
"For our fourth issue we wanted to explore what people are really into when they're not pretending to enjoy looking at Rhianna's crotch," says Danielle Pender, editor-in-chief of Riposte, a smart magazine for women. It’s safe to say that yes, if you don’t like – or are pretending not to like – looking at crotches, it’s best to look away now.
Below are illustrations by Laura Breiling that accompany the text within the small, black booklet nestled seductively in the new issue of the magazine. This is the latest from The Anonymous Sex Journal: a London-based publication set up by Alex Tieghi-Walker that invites members of the public to submit sexual anecdotes to be published anonymously in back pocket-sized, printed books that Alex says are designed “to be passed from person to person, left on buses, beds and bookshelves.”
“How does fantasy stand in the way of real experience and how does one enhance those fantasies? Has the internet shaped the way we fantasise?” – Alex Tieghi-Walker
“This most recent collaboration explores arousal, or turn ons,” Alex says. “What sexual experiences do people dream of? How does fantasy stand in the way of real experience and how does one enhance those fantasies? Has the internet shaped the way we fantasise? In this issue, we are looking for deep and meaningful expressions of what sexy is, and whether fantasies develop as we get older.”
And what fantasies. The submissions – often no longer than a text message – range from romantic, wistful fantasies to one person who, when at a sleepover aged 11, asked a boy to “rub his willy around my bum so he could pretend I was Shauni from Baywatch.”
“What do people really desire and fantasise about when they're being honest about it? Is it super freaky shit or is it all a bit more pedestrian?’’ – Danielle Pender
“We always hear that the media is increasingly sexualised these days, so we wanted to know if this had affected what people were into,” Danielle says. "What do people really desire and fantasise about when they're being honest about it? Is it super freaky shit or is it all a bit more pedestrian?" Partnering with the Anonymous Sex Journal was the perfect way to look at these questions. The anonymous nature of the journal means that people don't hold back, their honesty is really amazing. Some were touching and quite sad and some made me wince!”
Get your hands on a copy of the new issue over here.