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Blog - Amplify your voice

Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 8:30:00 PM EST

 

On last nights show
, Colbert covered the invention of a sex robot that has touch sensors and the ability to download different personalities.  (Note, the above video above is short and hilarious, please watch it.  IF you cannot get the embedded video to work, you can watch the clip here).  Because, as Colbert said,

When you're talking about a sex robot, the first question most guys as is 'how is her personality?' 
Touche, Stephen...I am LMAO, if I dare use a acronym such as that in a blog post.  

Here are my thoughts on sex robots: It takes the human joy of sexuality out of sexual intercourse, and it is not a healthy form of sexual expression.  Having sex with a simulation of a woman is not an ok substitute for having sex with someone you respect.  In my mind, sex robots like these are designed to make men treat women as bodies, and not as people with emotions, thoughts, and spirits.  By removing the actual woman from the whole experience, sex dolls are the realization of a society that too often ignores the person part of a woman, and only focuses on the sexual parts.  Furthermore, it reinforces heteronormativity the only type of sex that happens is one man and one woman. This stigmatises and marginalizes some forms of gender and sexuality.
The other issue that comes to mind is the sex with the robot itself.  The robot just lies there, in a submissive position, and does nothing.  Is this what we men actually want our women to do?  I think not.  The SF Chronicle has a great article about this if you want to read more

I have nothing against men or women being sexual, and sex toys that help people masturbate or pleasure a partner are not wrong.  Is a sex robot just a sex toy?  Or is it a way for men to get all the "perks" of sexual intercourse without the messy ordeal of dealing with another person?  I think it is something closer to the latter, and Colbert makes this point nicely in the above video. 

The sex robot can download personalities, which is pretty weird.  The idea is that men don't just want to have sex, they want to talk to a person as well.  Men can create a "dream personality" for their robot, and talk to them afterwards.  A note to all the guys out there:  If you want to meet woman and have satisfying, intimate, mature expieriences and relationships with them where you have great sex and also great communication, do not buy a sex doll that can pretend to talk to you.  If you do own a sex robot (which will sell for $7,000 to $9,000, plus a monthly subscription,) DO NOT TALK ABOUT IT when you are meeting women.  Please.  

The story gets a little more complicated when the inventor says he made this sex doll because of a girlfriend that died in the September 11th attacks.  This seems pretty weird to me.  I cannot even begin to grasp how hard it must be to lose a loved one in a terror attack, but is making a robot that acts like the person really the best way to get over it?  Especially is the only thing you do with the robot is f**k t?  I dont think it is.  

What do you think?  Is a sex robot sexist? Is this the future of "sexting" and porn? Are we really shifting from real relationships to virtual ones with robots?  I hope not, but I want to hear what others opinions are as well.

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Comments
 I agree. If you like reading and if you haven't already. I think you read Getting Off by Robert Jensen.

-Rikki
# Posted By  rikkiyouthresource | 1/13/10 11:23 PM | Report | Reply
Great book!!!
# Posted By cmartin626 | 1/20/10 03:31 PM | Report | Reply
This is an excellent post, Dan. You make some great points that I really agree with. This is men treating women as literal things- things they can purchase and use however they like. I think the $9,000 would be better spent by these men on ways to improve themselves to the point that real live women would be interested in them.

Also, Rikki, I ordered Getting Off recently from Amazon, and I just got it in the mail today! I'm excited to start reading it. :-)
# Posted By Mahayana | 1/14/10 04:26 PM | Report | Reply
 YAY!!!! I warn you it is graphic, let me know if you like it!

-Rikki
# Posted By  rikkiyouthresource | 1/15/10 12:42 AM | Report | Reply
Wow. I watched the interview with the inventor embedded in the attached article. One of the "personalities" is Frigid Farrah. Inventor: "If I were to touch her somewhere that might be considered inappropriate that she doesn't like, she'll say 'Please don't touch me. ... What are you doing? Please don't do that.'" And then laughter and no actual comments on that from the interviewer. 

So, basically, perfect for fulfilling rape fantasies! Also, any woman who doesn't want to sleep with him is frigid and not just, you know, uninterested in him. And violating "frigid" women is funny somehow? Because the robot wasn't creepy enough already. Thanks for sharing.
# Posted By ecjeppesen | 1/15/10 05:51 PM | Report | Reply
That is VERY disturbing.  The idea of rape being idealized in porn is upsetting enough, but this takes it a step further.  I'm totally disgusted.  If they are able to do this with a robot, will they want to do it with a woman?  It's supposed to be realistic, afterall... ugh.
# Posted By cmartin626 | 1/20/10 03:33 PM | Report | Reply
Although this is creepy, I have a few conflicted thoughts about it. Is it more creepy in this case because the robots come with personalities? I mean I am thinking about sex toys such as vibrators or vagina imitations. Is the reason why it is not pathological to use these types of toys because they are purposely bereft of human qualities that therefore elevate them from suspicions of rape worship or other hints of sexual exploitation? At the end of the day I do lead towards these explanations. I think that the underlying cause of why a person would seek a sex toy that tells them it does not want to be touched and then finds that arousing needs to be addressed because something is clearly wrong. However, I am also torn because I rather see them expressing those desires on a doll than on a real person while they are seeking treatment or overcoming (or even getting to recognizing) the underlying issue. But again my final point is that any time I see a woman or a representation of a woman saying they dont want to be touched and being touched anyway, robot or not, is quite distressing.
# Posted By  vanessaaishacoleman | 1/15/10 10:26 PM | Report | Reply
I seriously doubt that most or even any of the people who want this "toy" want it because they are coping with underlying issues or seeking treatment, and expressing their desires in a safe way. I guess it's better for people who are turned on by "no" to rape a doll than a real person, but isn't that comparing a bad thing with a worse thing? How about they just don't rape anyone? Even if people would use this as a part of their "treatment," I don't think that's a safe alternative or "coping mechanism" because like dandaman said, it's just reinforcing the idea that women are objects that men have sex with.
# Posted By  kathleenmysistahs | 1/21/10 09:53 AM | Report | Reply