Is a cyborg queer?
Discuss critical thinking on the intersections between sexuality and technology
Critical Annotated Webliography
1. Carstensen, Tanja. "Gender Trouble in Web 2.0: Gender Relations in Social." International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology 1.1 (2009). Carstensen. Hamburg University of Technology, Germany.12 Mar.2011.
The writer discussed the issue of the gender relations on some social network sites in the paper. She provided many examples of active networks, solidarity and participation in the field of queer-feminist politics as well. Besides, the article presented that there was a reinforcement of stereotyped representations of masculinities and femininities, experimentation with a variety of gender identities and the possibilities for queer politics without recurring to singular identities. By providing a platform for tough struggles about gender issues in the social network sites, this paper supports the argument that the technology has certain impact on gender relations. This can also explain even if the technology has been advanced, the binary gender roles can still be obviously observed in contemporary society. Moreover, it is a good piece of work to develop an argument that cyborgs can hardly manage their gender identities so they are said to be queer in the society. As one of the ideas of cyborg suggests that the world would be without gender boundary, it is definitely opposite to the existed stereotype of binary gender in contemporary society. This can then be more justified why people think that cyborg is abnormal.
2. Gillis, Stacy. "Neither Cyborg Nor Goddess: The (Im)Possibilities of Cyberfeminism." Third Wave Feminism A Critical Exploration. By Gillian Howie and Rebecca Munford. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.185-96. 12 Mar.2011. http://www.revalvaatio.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/gills_et_all-third_wave_feminism_a_critical_exploration.pdf#page=200.
This essay demonstrated how significant the internet affects the feminist movement. To be brief, the internet is a platform and tool to shape the “third wave feminism”. It also raises the question what is the role of internet in regards of “global women’s movement” and the future of “global women’s movement” is imagined to be. It also developed the idea of Cyberfeminism – feminism in cyberspace. However, it stated a major problem that cyberspace, this specific term cannot be easily defined while many people cannot access the internet. The essay finally concluded that under the rooted traditional concept, women would have a long way to be empowered herself even if in the cyberspace. As the technology is going yo be more advanced, people are going to be more easily access the internet and participate in the cyberspace in the future. Yet, the boundary between the internet and reality is becoming unclear. This article also emphasized the intersections between the women and internet. Thus, it is useful for extending to elaborate the relationship between technology and sexuality in my essay.
3. Lykke, Nina. Are Cyborgs Queer? Senza Nome. 12 Mar. 2011. http://xoomer.virgilio.it/raccontarsi/presentazioni2006/LIANA.pdf.
This paper was based on a research project on gender, cyborgs and new reproductive technologies. It used the framework of queer theory by Judith Butler and cyborg theory by Donna Haraway. Lykker mainly discussed the biological determinism and feminist theory in the age of new reproductive technologies and reprogenetics. She introduced the biological determinist arguments which are being used as tools to legitimate the social inequalities and power differentials of human characteristics such as gender, race, sexual preference etc. Applied different discourses which are suggested by the scholars, Lykker then used the cyborg and the queer as the examples selected from the wealth of feminist theories that deconstruct biological determinism. It is crucial to note that cyborg figures indeed give an opportunity to question the importance of human attributes such as gender, race and sexuality. The writer has well linked the technology and sexuality as the project subject. It is helpful to illustrate my argument that there are the intersections between sexuality and technology. As Lykker also mentioned that the identity is constructed by the culture as well as the intersection among the people, this can strengthen my argument that cyborg is not as abnormal as queer in my essay.
4. Miyake, Esperanza. My, Is That Cyborg a Little Bit Queer? Esperanza Miyake. 09 Mar. 2011.
This article researched some feminist issues including body, sexuality, identity and representation while correlating with the notion of the cyborg and queer theory. Besides, it was suggested that people can now both literally and physically change their bodies with fluidity under the advanced technology. Queer cyborgs were then proved to separate their public persona with their physical body by the writer. This strengthened the argument that gender and other categories are just a stage act which is unlinked to the physical self. It finally argues how feminism can benefit from cyber-queer ideas in rethinking through these issues in the world of material ramification. This essay is good to point out that there has been the relationship between the technology and sexuality. It is definitely helpful to explain the interrelation and intersections between these two aspects. Moreover, this article provided a good connection between the cyborg and queer theory. The queer cyborgs the writer mentioned that were recreating unconfined and unrelated genders. This has certainly challenged the preconceived ideas about man and woman as well as the notions of masculinity and femininity. Thus, it is a good evidence for me to use as a counter-argument of cyborg indeed is a queer in my essay.
5. Sundén, Jenny. Keynote Presentation at 5th European Feminist Research Conference: Gender and Power in the New Europe. Proc. of What If Frankenstein(‘s Monster) Was a Girl? Typing Female Machine Bodies in the Digital Age, Lund, Sweden. 12 Mar. 2011.
http://www.iiav.nl/epublications/2003/gender_and_power/5thfeminist/sundenkeynote.pdf.
This essay emphasized on the questions of online embodiment and cyber subjectivity by using examples of female Frankenstein’s monster and by participating in the creation of online bodies in MOO, a text-based virtual world. Also, it argued the power relationship between sexuality and gender in regards of gender. For instance, in most of the Hollywood movies, machine bodies focus on the notion of masculinity, which is strong, hard and tough etc. Even there would be the existence of female cyborg in the movies, they are usually considered to be the weak portion, the part that bleeds and menstruates. The author used the examples in the movie, the false Maria in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis in 1927; the movie illustrated the danger of female sexuality whereas women are always considered as evil. In short, as the technology being more advanced, there are more people participated in the internet. In order words, it enhanced the online embodiment. Besides, the information of technology illustrated the gender inequality among men and women in terms of sexuality. Thus, the essay is appropriate and related to my essay in order to support my argument.
No comments:
Post a Comment