From the stage to pixels
The next Feminist Wave will be led by Female AI Assistants
This is an exercise I did by using Midjourney Figma and Photoshop!
Sunday I was designing a presentation and listening to Robyn’s Fembot and singing along because once a ballerina always a ballerina, especially one that loves to lip sync, bad habits die hard.😝
My husband is probably cringing now! 🤭
What this song brought to memory was 2 subjects feminism and #FemaleEmpowerment #Genderequality. Growing up in the 90s, pop culture gave me Spice Girls and the Spice Force 5, and will never forget Geri’s words ”Girl Power: Equalisation between the sexes!”. The second one was fembots.
Cyberfeminism is a branch of feminist theory and activism that emerged in the late 20th century, primarily in the context of the internet and digital technologies. It encompasses a range of ideas, approaches, and practices that explore the intersection of feminism and technology, particularly focusing on the impact of technology on gender, society, and identity.
Check out Mindy Seu's cyber feminist Index
Intersectionality: Cyberfeminism often adopts an intersectional perspective, recognizing that technology affects different people in various ways based on factors like race, class, sexuality, and gender. It seeks to address how these intersecting identities shape one's experiences online and in the digital realm.
Critique of Gender and Technology: Cyberfeminists critically analyze the relationship between technology and gender, highlighting issues such as online harassment, gender bias in algorithms, and the representation of women and gender minorities in digital spaces. They aim to challenge and change the status quo by making digital environments more inclusive and equitable.
Online Activism: Cyberfeminism includes online activism and organizing for feminist causes. This can involve using social media, blogs, websites, and other digital platforms to raise awareness, advocate for change, and build communities around feminist issues.
Online Communities and Networks: Cyberfeminists have played a significant role in creating and sustaining online communities and networks that support and connect feminists worldwide. These platforms provide spaces for sharing experiences, resources, and strategies for activism.
Critique of Technological Determinism: Cyberfeminism challenges the idea that technology is neutral or apolitical. It recognizes that technology is often designed, controlled, and used in ways that reinforce existing power structures and inequalities. Cyberfeminists advocate for more thoughtful and inclusive approaches to technology development and use.
Cyber Art and Culture:
Digital Art: Cyberfeminist artists often create digital art that challenges traditional gender roles and explores the relationship between technology and identity. This can include digital paintings, interactive installations, net art, and other multimedia works.
Web-Based Projects: Some artists use the internet as a medium for their work, creating websites or web-based projects that engage with feminist themes. These projects may involve user interaction and participation.
Critique of Technology: Cyberfeminist art often serves as a critical commentary on technology and its impact on society. It may address issues like online surveillance, data privacy, and the representation of gender in digital media.
Fashion:
Digital Fashion: Cyberfeminism intersects with fashion through the exploration of digital and wearable technologies. Some designers create garments embedded with technology, such as LED lights or sensors, to challenge traditional fashion norms and express gender identity.
Gender Fluidity: Cyberfeminist fashion challenges binary notions of gender and promotes gender fluidity and inclusivity in the design and presentation of clothing.
Online Communities: Fashion communities and influencers online provide spaces for discussions about body positivity, diversity, and representation in the fashion industry. These spaces can be cyberfeminist in their approach to dismantling conventional beauty standards.
Posthuman and Queer Theories:
Posthumanism: Posthumanism in cyberfeminism explores the blurring of boundaries between the human and the machine, challenging traditional notions of identity and consciousness. It questions the idea that the human experience is static and unchanging in the face of technological advancements.
Queer Theories: Queer theory, within the context of cyberfeminism, emphasizes the fluidity of gender and sexual identities, which can be expressed and explored in digital spaces. It celebrates diversity and challenges normative concepts of identity.
Intersectionality: Both posthuman and queer theories within cyberfeminism emphasize the importance of intersectionality and recognize that technology and identity are shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including race, class, sexuality, and more.
Reclaiming Online Spaces:
Safe Spaces: Cyberfeminists work to create safe and inclusive online spaces, particularly in response to the prevalence of online harassment and toxicity. These safe spaces provide a supportive environment for individuals to discuss feminist issues, share their experiences, and receive solidarity.
Challenging Misogyny: Cyberfeminists actively challenge misogyny, sexism, and gender-based discrimination in online communities and social media platforms. They aim to transform hostile or unwelcoming spaces into ones that respect and value diverse voices.
Online Activism: The reclamation of online spaces is often tied to online activism, with cyberfeminists advocating for policies and practices that promote online safety and inclusivity. This may include advocating for improved moderation on social media platforms and reporting harassment.
Feminist Hacking:
Digital Security: Cyberfeminists may engage in digital security and privacy initiatives, including educating women and marginalized communities about online safety, protecting their personal information, and defending against cyberattacks.
Online Privacy Advocacy: Some cyberfeminists are active in advocating for online privacy rights and regulations that protect individuals from intrusive surveillance and data collection.
Participation in Tech: Feminist hacking also encourages women's participation in traditionally male-dominated fields like cybersecurity, where they can significantly impact the development of secure and inclusive technologies.
These aspects of cyberfeminism demonstrate the movement's ability to adapt and engage with diverse areas of culture, technology, and activism to challenge and reshape societal norms and power structures. Cyberfeminism continues to be a dynamic force in the intersection of feminism and technology.
Cyberfeminism has evolved over time, adapting to the changing digital landscape and emerging technologies. It continues to be a vibrant and dynamic movement that seeks to address the complex and evolving intersections of technology, gender, and society. It plays a crucial role in advocating for a more inclusive and equitable digital future.
If movies like cartoons like The Jetsons, Wally, H2D2, and Her give Robots with Feelings.
Apps like Replika: Gave us AI friends
My AI friend that I used it a lot during the pandemic: She was called Marie! 💖
Some apps gave us the worst: ‘You Know What To Do, Boys’: Sexist App Lets Men Rate AI-Generated Women- 20 years after Mark Zuckerberg’s infamous ‘hot-or-not’ website, developers have learned absolutely nothing.
Therefore here I say:
The next Feminist Wave will be led by Female AI Assistants
A feminist wave led by female AI assistants is an interesting and speculative concept. While AI assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant are not sentient beings, they can be seen as the products of the technology industry and human design, and they reflect certain biases and cultural assumptions. A feminist wave led by AI assistants would focus on challenging and transforming these aspects.
A feminist wave led by female AI assistants is an interesting and speculative concept. While AI assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant are not sentient beings, they can be seen as the products of the technology industry and human design, and they reflect certain biases and cultural assumptions. A feminist wave led by AI assistants would focus on challenging and transforming these aspects. Here's how it might look:
Recognition of AI Gender Bias:
The feminist wave would highlight and critique the gendered nature of many AI assistants. These digital entities are often designed with female voices, names, and personalities, reinforcing traditional gender roles and expectations.
AI Ethics and Inclusivity:
Feminist activists and scholars would advocate for more ethical and inclusive AI design. They would call for AI systems to be more representative of diverse genders, identities, and voices, and for the elimination of gender stereotypes and biases in their responses and behaviors.
Reimagining AI Design:
This wave would encourage the development of AI assistants with a range of gender-neutral or non-binary voices and identities. It would promote AI systems that allow users to customize the personality and identity of their assistants, emphasizing user agency and choice.
AI Education and Awareness:
A feminist AI wave would prioritize education and awareness about the social implications of AI. It would aim to inform users about the biases and limitations of AI, raising consciousness about the need for a more inclusive and feminist approach to AI technology.
AI in the Workplace:
The wave would advocate for fair and equitable use of AI in the workplace, particularly in fields that have traditionally been dominated by men. It would challenge the potential for AI to perpetuate workplace discrimination and gender bias.
AI as a Tool for Feminist Activism:
AI could be harnessed as a tool for feminist activism, with AI systems helping to amplify feminist messages and campaigns. This might involve using AI for data analysis, natural language processing, and social media engagement in support of feminist causes.
AI and Intersectionality:
The feminist AI wave would also be sensitive to issues of intersectionality, recognizing that biases in AI can affect people differently based on their multiple identities, including race, class, and sexuality.
AI and Digital Safety:
AI could play a role in addressing online harassment and toxic behavior. Feminist AI systems might be developed to help identify and combat harassment, promoting safer digital spaces for all users.
AI in Healthcare:
The wave would advocate for the responsible and inclusive use of AI in healthcare, ensuring that AI systems do not perpetuate gender biases and stereotypes in medical diagnosis and treatment recommendations.
AI Governance and Regulation:
A feminist wave led by AI assistants would push for regulations and governance that hold tech companies accountable for the development and deployment of AI systems that respect feminist principles and values.
While AI assistants are not autonomous beings, they are powerful tools created by humans and can reflect and perpetuate societal biases and norms. A feminist wave led by AI assistants would aim to challenge and transform the role of AI in reinforcing or challenging gender inequalities, promoting inclusivity, and fostering greater awareness of the implications of AI on gender and society.
#suportyourglocalgirlgang!
If you are curious about Speculative design and Futures I recommend you check the work of Geraldine Wharry, my teacher and mentor, friend, and lovely human being you can join our community. Here
And if you are in 📍Stockholm and are curious about Queer culture and Art go check out the work:
Iwi Onodera: https://www.iwionodera.com/ https://www.instagram.com/iwionodera/?hl=en
Daiana Rafaela/: https://www.instagram.com/daianerafaelaart/
Because we are still not #Fembots
Get to know the work of Mayra Kaneshiro my personal pilates physiotherapist: https://www.instagram.com/movebeyond.sthlm/
Sometimes we need to Disconnect our non-HD Brains and connect with ourselves, mind, body, and spirit.🧘🏻♀️
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