diff --git a/lib/std/io/io_file.c3 b/lib/std/io/io_file.c3
index c6887ed19..9831528fd 100644
--- a/lib/std/io/io_file.c3
+++ b/lib/std/io/io_file.c3
@@ -102,6 +102,16 @@ fn usz! File.read(self, char[] buffer)
 	return os::native_fread(self.file, buffer);
 }
 
+/**
+ * @param ref "the object to read into."
+ * @require ref.ptr != null
+ * @ensure return == ref.type.sizeof
+ */
+fn usz! File.read_any(self, any ref)
+{
+	return self.read(((char*)ref.ptr)[:ref.type.sizeof]);
+}
+
 /**
  * @param [out] buffer
  * @require self.file `File must be initialized`
@@ -111,6 +121,16 @@ fn usz! File.write(self, char[] buffer)
 	return os::native_fwrite(self.file, buffer);
 }
 
+/**
+ * @param ref "the object to write."
+ * @require ref.ptr != null
+ * @ensure return == ref.type.sizeof
+ */
+fn usz! File.write_any(self, any ref)
+{
+	return self.write(((char*)ref.ptr)[:ref.type.sizeof]);
+}
+
 /**
  * @require self.file `File must be initialized`
  */
diff --git a/lib/std/io/io_stream.c3 b/lib/std/io/io_stream.c3
index c8fa9e777..9109792ca 100644
--- a/lib/std/io/io_stream.c3
+++ b/lib/std/io/io_stream.c3
@@ -77,6 +77,22 @@ fn usz! Stream.available(self) @inline
 	return IoError.NOT_SEEKABLE?;
 }
 
+fn usz! Stream.read_any(self, any ref)
+{
+	return self.read(((char*)ref.ptr)[:ref.type.sizeof]);
+}
+
+/**
+ * @param ref "the object to write."
+ * @require ref.ptr != null
+ * @ensure return == ref.type.sizeof
+ */
+fn usz! Stream.write_any(self, any ref)
+{
+	return self.write(((char*)ref.ptr)[:ref.type.sizeof]);
+}
+
+
 fn usz! Stream.read(self, char[] buffer)
 {
 	if (ReadStreamFn func = self.fns.read_fn) return func(self, buffer);