This book presents a unique, feminist approach to ‘sex’ dolls and ‘sex’ robots, taking a critical look at the academic and business narratives that serve to rationalise them. As new forms of pornography (porn robots), this edited volume provides an urgent women’s centred critique.
The emergence of ‘sex’ robots is situated within the wider context of the attack on women’s rights and the relentless rise of techno-pornography. As an outgrowth of the industries of prostitution, pornography and child sex abuse, these objects offer new ways to dehumanise women and girls. While support for ‘sex’ robots is positioned as progressive and emancipatory, the contributors in this volume argue they reduce women to consumable parts. They explore how law, the arts, ethics, economy, politics and culture are interconnected with harmful technological developments.
Author(s): Kathleen Richardson, Charlotta Odlind
Series: Social and Cultural Studies of Robots and AI
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 205
City: Cham
Acknowledgements
Contents
Notes on Contributors
1 The End of Sex robots—For the Dignity of Women and Girls
From Sex Robots to Porn Robots and the Rise of the FATES
The Chapters
References
2 Modern-Day Pygmalions—Reproducing the Patriarchy
Orpheus’ Song
Modern Pygmalions and Female Inferiority
Violence Towards Pornbots
Fetishists
Pygmalions Co-Opt Women to Self-Objectify
Conclusion
References
3 Mapping the Uses of ‘Sex’ Dolls: Pornographic Content, Doll Brothels and the Similarities with Rape
Introduction
The ‘Sex’ Doll/Robot Rationale
The Rise of Doll Pornography
Brothels with Dolls and Dungeons
The Simulation of Doll Rape
Final Thoughts and Ideas
References
4 Fetishism and the Construction of Male Sexuality
Male Sexuality and the Social Control of Women
Social Construction of Sexuality
Sexology
The Perversions
Sex Dolls, Sex Robots, Chatbots
The Liberation of the Perversions
The Fetish Industry
References
5 Playthings and Corpses—Turning Women into Dead Body Objects: Sexual Objectification, Victimisation, Representation and Consent in Art and Sex Dolls/Robots
A Cautionary Tale
An Angry Aside
Hans Bellmer’s Sex Dolls
Bellmer’s Influence
Alexander McQueen: The Bellmer Harness
Necrophilia and Victimhood
Objectification
The Structure of Representation
The Pose, the Photograph and Victimisation
The Prostitution of Sexuality and the Cult of Consent
The Art and Sex Doll/Robot Collusion
Psychephilia and the Girlfriend Experience
References
6 Patriarchal Imaginaries Beyond the Human: ‘Sex’ Robots, Fetish and Fantasy in the Domination and Control of Women
Introduction
The Right to Sex
The Patriarchal Porn Robot Imaginary
Fetishes, Fantasies and Enchantment
Bodies, Freedom and Power
Conclusion
References
7 Paedophilia, Child Sex Abuse Dolls and the Male Sex Right: Challenging Justifications for men’s Sexual Access to Children and Child Sexual Abuse Material
A History of Defending Men’s Sexual Access to Children
Contemporary Defences of Men’s Access to Child Sexual Abuse Material
Critical Responses to Common Arguments in Support of Child Sex Abuse Dolls
“It’s just a sex toy like any other”
“It’s a victimless crime – you can’t rape a robot”
“They could prevent child sexual abuse”
Men Who Own Child Sex Abuse Dolls Still Sexually Offend Against Children
Conclusion
References
8 The Voice of the ‘Sex Robot’: From Peep-Show Bucket to Willing Victim—The Terrorism of Women’s Speech
Love and the Sex Robot
A Decadent Love Story: He Took Her Breath Away
The Voice, Vote and Sexual Politics of the Suffragettes
Hysterical Mendicants, Hysterical Bleeders and Blueprints for Pornography
The Peep-Show and the Peep-Show Bucket
The ‘Talking Woman’ and the Porn Voice
Telephone Sex
Pornography Scenarios: The Unwilling and the Willing Victim
In Plain Sight: Scream Collecting and the Library of Orgasms
The Cult of Dissociation and Dummy-Women
Body and Breath
‘Lovefaking’
Postscript
References
9 The End of Sex Robots: Porn Robots and Representational Technologies of Women and Girls
Representational Technologies of the Human
Porn Robots ‘Writing About Whores’ Writing About the Abused
The Truth About Porn and the Foresight of Pro-Women Feminists: Dworkin and MacKinnon
Sexist Ethics Washing
Conclusion: The Politics of Love
References
Index
