diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2db4f95..14bd840 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # Unreleased
 
+# 0.7.0-alpha.19
+- Add `.as_str()`, `.language()` and `impl AsRef<str>` for `AnyString`
+
 # 0.7.0-alpha.18
 - expose `Either` type publicly
 
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 736b1f2..41c7a59 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 name = "activitystreams"
 description = "A set of core types and traits for activitystreams data"
-version = "0.7.0-alpha.18"
+version = "0.7.0-alpha.19"
 license = "GPL-3.0"
 authors = ["asonix <asonix@asonix.dog>"]
 repository = "https://git.asonix.dog/Aardwolf/activitystreams"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1c61176..87dc363 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ _A set of Traits and Types that make up the ActivityStreams and ActivityPub spec
 First, add ActivityStreams to your dependencies
 ```toml
 [dependencies]
-activitystreams = "0.7.0-alpha.11"
+activitystreams = "0.7.0-alpha.19"
 ```
 
 ### Types
@@ -164,14 +164,14 @@ If you want to make a function that manipulates an Activity, but not a normal ob
 bound the function like so:
 
 ```rust
-use activitystreams::{base::BaseExt, context, markers::Activity, uri};
+use activitystreams::{base::BaseExt, context, markers::Activity, iri};
 
 fn manipulator<T, Kind>(mut activity: T) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error>
 where
     T: Activity + BaseExt<Kind>,
 {
     activity
-        .set_id(uri!("https://example.com"))
+        .set_id(iri!("https://example.com"))
         .set_context(context());
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ use activitystreams::{
     context,
     object::{ApObject, Video},
     prelude::*,
-    uri,
+    iri,
 };
 
 fn main() -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
@@ -213,12 +213,12 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
 
     video
         .set_context(context())
-        .set_id(uri!("https://example.com/@example/lions"))
+        .set_id(iri!("https://example.com/@example/lions"))
         .set_media_type("video/webm".parse()?)
-        .set_url(uri!("https://example.com/@example/lions/video.webm"))
+        .set_url(iri!("https://example.com/@example/lions/video.webm"))
         .set_summary("A cool video")
         .set_duration("PT4M20S".parse()?)
-        .set_shares(uri!("https://example.com/@example/lions/video.webm#shares"));
+        .set_shares(iri!("https://example.com/@example/lions/video.webm#shares"));
 
     println!("Video, {:#?}", video);
 
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 261d44a..501fd15 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 //! First, add ActivityStreams to your dependencies
 //! ```toml
 //! [dependencies]
-//! activitystreams = "0.7.0-alpha.11"
+//! activitystreams = "0.7.0-alpha.19"
 //! ```
 //!
 //! ### Types
diff --git a/src/primitives/any_string.rs b/src/primitives/any_string.rs
index cf618ee..9fdc320 100644
--- a/src/primitives/any_string.rs
+++ b/src/primitives/any_string.rs
@@ -155,6 +155,56 @@ impl AnyString {
     {
         self.0 = Either::Right(string.into());
     }
+
+    /// Borrow the inner str
+    ///
+    /// ```rust
+    /// use activitystreams::primitives::{AnyString, RdfLangString};
+    /// let any_string = AnyString::from_xsd_string("hi");
+    ///
+    /// assert_eq!(any_string.as_str(), "hi");
+    ///
+    /// let any_string = AnyString::from_rdf_lang_string(RdfLangString {
+    ///     value: "hi".into(),
+    ///     language: "en".into(),
+    /// });
+    ///
+    /// assert_eq!(any_string.as_str(), "hi");
+    /// ```
+    pub fn as_str(&self) -> &str {
+        match self.0 {
+            Either::Left(ref s) => s,
+            Either::Right(ref lang_str) => &lang_str.value,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Borrow the inner language
+    ///
+    /// ```rust
+    /// use activitystreams::primitives::{AnyString, RdfLangString};
+    /// let any_string = AnyString::from_xsd_string("hi");
+    ///
+    /// assert_eq!(any_string.language(), None);
+    ///
+    /// let any_string = AnyString::from_rdf_lang_string(RdfLangString {
+    ///     value: "hi".into(),
+    ///     language: "en".into(),
+    /// });
+    ///
+    /// assert_eq!(any_string.language(), Some("en"));
+    /// ```
+    pub fn language(&self) -> Option<&str> {
+        match self.0 {
+            Either::Left(_) => None,
+            Either::Right(ref lang_str) => Some(&lang_str.language),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsRef<str> for AnyString {
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &str {
+        self.as_str()
+    }
 }
 
 impl OneOrMany<AnyString> {