Ava's Critical Annotated Webliography

Is a cyborg queer? Discuss critical thinking on the intersections between sexuality and technology.

1.

Dixon, Steve. “Metal Gender.” CTheory.net. 14 May. 2003. 17 Mar 2011.

http://www.ctheory.net/articles.aspx?id=384.

Steve Dixon’s article mainly discuss the existence of cyborg in post-modernism tend to blur the boundary of female and male, masculine and feminine. And this topic has long been neglected by critics in Media and Cultural Studies theme, who reinforce the “accentuation of binary gender systems” instead. The influence of human-metal fusion is the latest discourse within cyborg theories, since the cyborg challenges the stereotype of gender including sexual practices. The embodiments of cyborgs in science fiction films and literary help illustrate the point. Although female cyborgs in were sexualized by the creator, masculine personalities can still be found, and vice versa. In Dixon’s word, cyborgs in today technological cosmopolitan are “tri-gendered and tri-sexed- as man, woman and machine” and the concept of gender binary can be extended into “a trinity of male/female/metal”.

Since the stereotype of gender binary has been challenged by the author, it is proved that cyborgs become usual in today’s world. Although the conceptual idea of having sex with cyborgs which are tri-sexed is criticized regarding the suspect of their reproductive systems, it is not surprised to find that there are intersections between human and cyborgs. Since “cyborgs” as a term is socially and culturally constructed, the "hybrids of machine and organism” should not be considered as queer.

2.

Ross, Charlotte. “Creating the ideal posthuman body? Cyborg sex and gender in the work of Buzzati, Vacca, and Ammaniti.” Italica. 22 Jun. 2005. 17 Mar 2011. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Creating+the+ideal+posthuman+body%3F+Cyborg+sex+and+gender+in+the+work...-a0135843180.

Ross’s article put much emphasis on the narratives of “cyborg sex” in Italian literature. “Cyborg sex” to Ross is not only regarded as sex with cyborgs, but also sexed bodies. According to Ross, cyborgs mentioned in the texts are “the product of male fantasy”. In Italian novels, cyborg-human sexual interaction is a main discussion topic, which include exploring the sexual relationships between “humans and robots, humans and cyborgs” when applying masculine and feminine behaviors. “Cyborg sex” is controversial because it challenges the conventional gender binary and it also portrays “sexual dynamics” between humans and non-humans (cyborgs). Although male cyborgs are always masculine and female cyborgs feminine, it is supposed that cyborgs are endowed with no gender role to the initial morphogenesis.

Since the controversial discourse of “cyborg sex” in the society, the possibility of having sex with cyborgs become a hot topic. However, when applying the definition of “cyborg” suggested by Donna Haraway, “cyborg” is a “hybrid of machine and organism”. When considering the sexual interaction of cyborgs in the literature, the image of metal inside but with physical human skin bodies always comes to mind first. In fact, for those who just embedded equipment inside due to health problem can also be regarded as “cyborg”. With this assumption, cyborg-human sexual interactions would no longer queer but ordinary in the society.

3.

Breen, Jennifer. “Cyber Gender.” Cyborg DB. 17 Mar 2011. http://www.cyborgdb.org/breen.htm.

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In this article, the author Jennifer Breen made a simple review of the cyber gender identity based on several scholars’ work. Nowadays, to most people, internet has become part of themselves. As the explanation of cyborgs has already been defined by Donna Haraway, the over-use of internet made a majority of computer user cyborgs. Thus, the identity of cyborgs is relatively elastic in cyberspace, a male can pass himself off as a female for own benefit, and female can pretend male. In Ted Kaiser word, cyborg identity is “part machine, part human”, as the stereotype of gender binary is invalid in cyberspace. However, the situation has changed as much of cyberspace is “gendered” for the existence of online “non-gendered persona”, for example, beauty column.

As the elastic transformation of cyber gender, the identities of cyborgs become mystery to the others. Cyborg “you” might start the conversation with male identity, and seek sex service provided by female. Unpredictably, cyborg “you” was a female, and at the same time, cyborg “other” was a male. The indefinite gender identities make cyborgs queer if keep on talking with someone who have “non-gendered persona”. However, it is still possible for cyborg “you” to surf the sexualized website and consume a cybersex or telephone sex online.

4.

Maheu, M. M. “The Future of Cyber-Sex and Relationship Fidelity: Cyborg Theory.” SelfhelpMagazine. 17 Mar 2011. http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/article/node/1337.

Maheu’s article provides a critical reflection of the creation of cyborgs regarding health problem in today’s medical developed cities. According to cyborg theory, cyborg is a “hybrid of machine and organism”, for those who utilize technology to overcome health problems are regarded as cyborg also. Though the potential problem of interactions between humans and machine exists inevitably, cyber-sex and cyborgs interact on chat room still prevalent. In the article, Rebecca blog was taken as an example to illustrate the point. Rebecca never made love physically as the cyborg “other” only reach to AOL chat rooms but never reach Rebecca for the whole life.

In the article, human who make use of technology to overcome health problems, and those who dependent on computer are both generalized into the board definition of cyborgs. If making love with cyborg which was embedded machine inside the body, it is still acceptable undoubtedly in the society. However, the situation might change if a cyborg with human skin but mechanical organs asks for intersection. In fact, the definition of the term “cyborg” and even “human” is socially and culturally constructed, it would be possible if we re-define them in the future, for those who embedded equipment inside the body would never be classified into “cyborg”.

5.

Orca, Surfdaddy. “Strike a Pose, Cyborg!.” H+ Magazine. 8 July. 2009. 17 Mar 2011. http://hplusmagazine.com/2009/07/08/strike-pose-cyborg/.

Surfdaddy Orca’s article revealed a phenomenon that being a cyborg can also be a fashion icon or accessory. When regarding art websites like “DesignWar”, it was quite obvious that the trend of “techno look” is extolled especially in Europe. And the research on the permissibility of human body and “Brog-like” accessories has launched, cyborg arm or other body part are able to be incorporated with brain. Although the trial of using the tools is not satisfactory, the idea of adapting to incorporate tools in the body schema is expected in the future. In 2009, HRP-4C as a serial of battery-powered motors was introduced on the fashion catwalk in Japan, although this cybernetic model acted like a silver stormtrooper. Meanwhile, the introduction of cyborg in fashion industry manifests the positive attitude towards cyborgs.

The positive attitude towards cyborgs has been breaking down the conventions of the horror image of cyborg shown in science fiction movies and novels, cyborgs can also be fashionable in a way fulfill the “male gaze”. The invention of model HRP-4C helps illustrate as according to the creator, “she” was designed based on the golden ratio of women. The highly recommendation of HRP-4C meanwhile demonstrates that cyborg in today’s society become more usual than what the society expected.