Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1 Name
The portmanteau fembot (female robot) was popularized
by the television series The Bionic Woman in the episode
“Kill Oscar” (1976) [1] and later used in the Austin Powers
films,[2] among others. Robotess is the oldest female-
specific term, originating in 1921 from the same source
as the term robot.
A gynoid is anything that resembles or pertains to the
female human form. Though the term android refers
to robotic humanoids regardless of apparent gender, the
An Actroid at Expo 2005 in Aichi.
Greek prefix “andr-" refers to man in the masculine gen-
[3]
dered sense. Because of this prefix, many read Android
as referring to male-styled robots.[4][5][6][7][8] Examples of female robots include:
The term gynoid was used by Gwyneth Jones in her 1985
novel Divine Endurance to describe a robot slave charac- • Project Aiko, an attempt at producing a realistic-
ter in a futuristic China, that is judged by her beauty.[6] looking female android. It speaks Japanese and
English and has been produced for a price of
Gynoid is also used in American English medical termi- €13,000[11]
nology as a shortening of the term gynecoid (gynaecoid
in British English).[9] • EveR-1[12]
• Actroid, designed by Hiroshi Ishiguro to be “a per-
fect secretary who smiles and flutters her eyelids”[13]
2 Female robots • HRP-4C[14]
• Meinü robot[15][16]
...the great majority of robots were either
machine-like, male-like or child-like for the
reasons that not only are virtually all roboti- Researchers have noted the connection between the de-
cists male, but also that fembots posed greater sign of feminine robots and roboticists’ assumptions
technical difficulties. Not only did the servo about gendered appearance and labor. Fembots in Japan,
motor and platform have to be ‘interiorized’ for example, are designed with slenderness and grace in
(naizosuru), but the body [of the fembot] mind,[17] and they are employed in ways that help to main-
needed to be slender, both extremely difficult tain traditional family structures and politics in a nation
undertakings. that is seeing a population decline.[18]
— Tomotaka Takahashi, roboticist[10] People also react to fembots in ways that may be at-
tributed to gender stereotypes. This research has been
1
2 3 IN FICTION
used to elucidate gender cues, clarifying which be- Artificial women have been a common trope in fiction
haviors and aesthetics elicit a stronger gender-induced and mythology since the writings of the ancient Greeks.
response.[19] This has continued with modern fiction, particularly in
the genre of science fiction. In science fiction, female-
appearing robots are often produced for use as domestic
2.1 As sexual devices servants and sexual slaves, as seen in the film Westworld,
Paul J. McAuley's novel Fairyland (1995), and Lester del
Rey's short story "Helen O'Loy" (1938),[5] and sometimes
as warriors, killers, or laborers. The character of An-
nalee Call in Alien: Resurrection is a rare example of a
non-sexualized gynoid.
3.1 Metaphors
3.1.1 Misogyny
3.3 Gender
Fiction about gynoids or female cyborgs reinforce es-
sentialist ideas of femininity, according to Margret
Grebowicz.[33] Such essentialist ideas may present as sex-
ual or gender stereotypes. Among the few non-eroticized
fictional gynoids include Rosie the Robot Maid from The
Étienne Maurice Falconet: Pygmalion et Galatée (1763). Al- Jetsons. However, she still has some stereotypically fem-
though not robotic, Galatea's inorganic origin has led to compar-
inine qualities, such as a matronly shape and a predispo-
isons with gynoids.
sition to cry.[34]
tractive, blonde fembots in alluring baby-doll nightgowns light their human creators’ reactions to the idea of female
were used as a lure for the fictional agent Austin Powers in robots. Later models lost obviously feminine features, but
the movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. retained “an air of femininity”.[44]
The film’s sequels had cameo appearances of characters
revealed as fembots.
Jack Halberstam writes that these gynoids inform the 4 In animation
viewer that femaleness does not indicate naturalness, and
their exaggerated femininity and sexuality is used in a In the Nickelodeon animated series My Life as a Teenage
similar way to the title character’s exaggerated masculin- Robot features XJ-9, or Jenny Wakeman as she prefers to
ity, lampooning stereotypes.[35] be called, who is a state-of-the-art gynoid.
[7] Stratton, Jon (2001). The desirable body: cultural [25] “Too serious for Professor Bailey”. New Scientist vol 100
fetishism and the erotics of consumption. US: University November 3, 1983, Page 352. 3 November 1983.
of Illinois Press. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-252-06951-2. The
automaton becomes both a philosophical toy and sexual [26] Foster, Thomas (2005). The souls of cyberfolk: posthu-
fetish; I extend the meaning of gynoid to include non- manism as vernacular theory. U of Minnesota Press.
mechanical models of women such life-size dolls ISBN 978-0-8166-3406-4.
[8] Foster, Thomas (2005). The souls of cyberfolk: posthu- [27] Sorayama, Hajime (1993). The Gynoids. Treville. ISBN
manism as vernacular theory. U of Minnesota Press. 978-4-8457-0782-9.
p. 103. ISBN 978-0-8166-3406-4. Gynoids are frames
that enable us to desire differently, by accommodating [28] Foster, Thomas (2005). The souls of cyberfolk: posthu-
libidinal-investments in male lack. manism as vernacular theory. U of Minnesota Press. p.
107. ISBN 978-0-8166-3406-4. 'that metallic feeling'
[9] “Gynoid”. Merriam Webster. Retrieved 26 February seems to heighten and make visible a form of whiteness
2011. that in a pin-up girl would seem unremarkable or ba-
nal (that is, to the extent that Soyorama’s gynoids can be
[10] Takahashi, Tomotaka (2006). Robotto no tensei. Media
said to embody racial meanings at all while the majority
Factory, Inc. p. 194.
may interpret it as Sorayama’s precient painting of images
[11] Nixon, Geoff (11 December 2008). “Ontario man builds about human synthesized future reality. In this case of
real-life female android”. CTV.ca. the organic robotic (Gynoid) forms or perhaps concepts
of racial beliefs that may become part of society but are
[12] “I'm your guide”. Science. 312 (5779): 1449. 9 June intrinsically only one’s imagination (never truly real even
2006. doi:10.1126/science.312.5779.1449d. when in physical existence manufactured by humans), it
is through this displacement of “white” skin that such al-
[13] Newitz, Annalee (10 August 2006). “The Fembot Mys- ternative interpretations arise)
tique”. Popular Science.
[29] Foster, Thomas (2005). The souls of cyberfolk: posthu-
[14] “Lifelike walking female robot”. BBC News. 16 March manism as vernacular theory. U of Minnesota Press. p.
2009. 107. ISBN 978-0-8166-3406-4.
[15] “First Chinese 'beauty' robot destined for Sichuan”. China
[30] Stratton, Jon (2001). The desirable body: cultural
Daily. 4 August 2006.
fetishism and the erotics of consumption. US: University
[16] “1st beauty robot in China”. Sina.com. 8 August 2006. of Illinois Press. p. 230. ISBN 978-0-252-06951-2.
[17] Robertson, Jennifer (June 2010). “Gendering Humanoid [31] Dinello, Daniel (2005). Technophobia!: Science Fiction
Robots: Robo-Sexism in Japan”. Body & Society. 16 (2): Visions of Posthuman Technology. University of Texas
1–36. doi:10.1177/1357034X10364767. Press. p. 78. ISBN 978-0-292-70986-7.
[18] Robertson, Jennifer (September 2007). “ROBO SAPI- [32] Browne, Ray B., Forbidden Fruits: Taboos and Tabooism
ENS JAPANICUS Humanoid Robots and the Posthu- in Culture, Popular Press, 1984, 9780879722555
man Family”. Critical Asian Studies. 39 (3): 369–98.
doi:10.1080/14672710701527378. [33] Grebowicz, Margret; L. Timmel Duchamp; Nicola Grif-
fith; Terry Bisson (2007). SciFi in the mind’s eye: read-
[19] Carpenter, J.; Davis, J.; Erwin-Stewart, N.; Lee, T.; ing science through science fiction. Open Court. p. xviii.
Bransford, J.; Vye, N. (March 2009). “Gender represen- ISBN 978-0-8126-9630-1.
tation in humanoid robots for domestic use”. International
Journal of Social Robotics. Springer Netherlands. 1 (3): [34] Rudman, Laurie A.; Peter Glick; Susan T. Fiske (2008).
1. doi:10.1007/s12369-009-0016-4. The Social Psychology of Gender: How Power and Inti-
macy Shape Gender Relations. Guilford Press. p. 178.
[20] “Frequently Asked Question(s)". Project Aiko. ISBN 978-1-59385-825-4.
[21] Ex Machina and sci-fi’s obsession with sexy female robots
[35] Halberstam, Judith (2005). In a Queer Time and Place:
- The Guardian, 15 January 2015. See also “Living
Transgender Bodies, Subcultural Lives. NYU Press. p.
Dolls: Sci-Fi’s Fascination With Artificial Women"--
144. ISBN 978-0-8147-3585-5.
The Guardian 13 July 2015 about Ex Machina and Julie
Wosk’s book on female robots, My Fair Ladies.
[36] Heller, Steven (2000). Sex appeal: the art of allure in
[22] Smith, Aaron (August 6, 2014). “AI, Robots, and the Fu- graphic and advertising design. Allworth Press. p. 155.
ture of Jobs” (PDF). Pew Research Center. Retrieved 7 ISBN 978-1-58115-048-3.
March 2015.
[37] Melzer, Patricia (2006). Alien Constructions: Science Fic-
[23] Do humans dream of android prostitutes? - 11 May 2012 tion and Feminist Thought. University of Texas Press. p.
204. ISBN 978-0-292-71307-9.
[24] Yazdani, Masoud; Ajit Narayanan (1984). Artificial intel-
ligence: human effects. E. Horwood. pp. 276–277. ISBN [38] Hunter, I. Q. (1999). British Science Fiction Cinema. p.
978-0-85312-577-8. 58. ISBN 978-0-203-00977-2.
6 8 EXTERNAL LINKS
[39] Michele, Aaron (1999). The body’s perilous pleasures: 8 External links
dangerous desires and contemporary culture. Edinburgh
University Press. pp. 108–124. ISBN 978-0-7486-0961- • Media related to Gynoids at Wikimedia Commons
1.
7 References
• Carpenter, J.; Davis, J.; Erwin-Stewart, N.; Lee, T.;
Bransford, J.; Vye, N. (March 2009). “Gender rep-
resentation in humanoid robots for domestic use”.
International Journal of Social Robotics. Springer
Netherlands. 1 (3): 261. doi:10.1007/s12369-009-
0016-4.
9.2 Images
• File:Actroid-DER_01.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Actroid-DER_01.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-
3.0 Contributors: Gnsin Original artist: Photo by Gnsin
• File:Animation2.gif Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Animation2.gif License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contribu-
tors: Own work Original artist: MG (talk · contribs)
• File:Falconet_-_Pygmalion_&_Galatee_(1763)-black_bg.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/
Falconet_-_Pygmalion_%26_Galatee_%281763%29-black_bg.jpg License: Public domain Contributors:
• Falconet_-_Pygmalion_&_Galatee_(1763).jpg Original artist: Falconet_-_Pygmalion_&_Galatee_(1763).jpg: Scupture by Étienne Mau-
rice Falconet, photographed by Alex Bakharev at en.wikipedia
• File:Fembots_2_APIMOM.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/44/Fembots_2_APIMOM.jpg License: Fair use
Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
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sa-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
• File:Portal-puzzle.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fd/Portal-puzzle.svg License: Public domain Contributors: ?
Original artist: ?
• File:Shadow_Hand_Bulb_large.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Shadow_Hand_Bulb_large.jpg Li-
cense: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: http://www.shadowrobot.com/media/pictures.shtml Original artist: Richard Greenhill and Hugo Elias
(myself) of the Shadow Robot Company
• File:Sweetheart_gynoid_berkley.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Sweetheart_gynoid_berkley.jpg License:
Fair use Contributors: New Scientist, Vol 100, November 3rd, 1983 Page 352[#cite_note-1 [1]] Original artist: ?
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? Original artist: ?
• File:Wiktionary-logo-v2.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Wiktionary-logo-v2.svg License: CC BY-
SA 4.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Dan Polansky based on work currently attributed to Wikimedia Foundation but originally
created by Smurrayinchester