Technologies of Gendered Presentation and Transformation (Essay Sample)

Technologies of Gendered Presentation and Transformation
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Technologies of Gendered Presentation and Transformation
Technology continues to occupy an important place in human sexuality. Technology is regarded as a social force whose power has persistently configured or shaped human sexuality. Also, throughout the years, humans have shown pervasive sexual attraction towards various technological aspects. As a result, this has given rise to several concepts such as technosexuality and technogender. Research study and literature analyses have been placed in an attempt to evaluate the relationship between sexuality and technology. The advent of new technology has perpetually reconfigured ways in which humans experience and perceive their sex. At the center of the debate are women who have been the biggest beneficiaries of technosexuality elements. Studies have shown that many women today are attracted to technological aspects for sexual gains. Conventionally, human sexuality remains a crucial cultural tenet that exists within social realms. However, the growth of technology has initiated a paradigm shift that has never been witnessed before. Technosexual practices have deviated sex from its conventional biological and cultural realms to a more technological-based practice comprised of gadgets and machinery for sexual satisfaction. The same has been witnessed with technologies such as technogender that have helped transgender women acquire approval thanks to their facial reconstruction. Technological advents such as technosexuality and technogender have helped women restructure the hegemonic power in society by acquiring sexual autonomy, albeit in ways that deviate from conventional means.
The advent of new technologies continues to be the biggest achievement of the 21st century. Work has become easier, and communication between individuals is more efficient and timely. Naturally, women have been underrepresented when it comes to technology. As illustrated by Ashcraft (2014), "To date, girls and women are significantly underrepresented in computer science and technology" (p.437). Women might be underrepresented in the professional and academic technological fields, but the same cannot be said in technosexuality. Women are the biggest beneficiaries when it comes to the intersection between sexuality and technology. Technological companies have been at the forefront of developing technologies and platforms that would reconfigure the attainment of sexual satisfaction. The first aspect to consider regards the development of sex gadgets such as sex toys. Most companies such as Lelo, Je Joue, and Jimmyjane have been at the forefront of manufacturing sex toys that use high quality and safe materials that guarantee holistic body pleasures (Bardzell & Bardzell, 2016). According to these authors, the invention of sex toys has helped in the advancement of feminist narratives. Women have used these gadgets to escape toxic masculinity and enhance a sense of autonomy and independence.
Another concept that is closely associated with technosexuality is referred to as technogender. The advent of technology has managed to revolutionize the social and biological definition of males and females. More importantly, these technologies have managed to disrupt natural biological processes in humans. Some of these technologies can manipulate the hormonal components of human beings hence enabling the process of sex aligning (Preciado, 2013). Women and transgender people, for instance, have been on the receiving end on social media and other public spaces due to their sexual appearance. However, with the advent of manipulative technology, transgender people are now able to grow nipples and appear feminine more than ever. The same has happened to women that might have wanted to bolster their appearance and boost their sexual appeal (Preciado, 2013). The use of these technologies has elucidated social theories, especially those that sought to separate sex and gender. Gender, for instance, is regarded as a social construct determined by factors such as recognition and self-identification. People are now likely to be converted from male to females, thanks to the various elements of disruptive technogender technology.
Technosexuality has also given birth to a host of technologies that have revolutionized sex and sexual practice. Bardzell and Bardzell (2016) identify a host of these technologies, including webcamming, sexting, social networking, and virtual worlds. Similarly, women are the biggest casualties in using these platforms to engage in non-biological and unconventional sexual endeavors. Using a webcam to engage in commercial sex is among the most common form of technosexuality models. However, this is entirely inspired by the feminist theories that have been constructed by women throughout history. Jones (2016) says, "Webcam models' work has the potential to subvert hegemonic discourses of gender that constrain women's sexuality because this work allows for various forms of pleasure in the process (p.228). The webcam devices have enabled the sex models to sell a wide variety of their products, including masturbation shows, erotic dances, and pornographic videos to their online customers. Such a business could not have been possible without the impact of technology. Sexting, on its part, encompasses the exchange of sexual messages through digital devices such as mobile phones or computers (Jones, 2016). Women are more likely to explore these channels to evade the hegemonic power that emanates from the normal conventional sex.
Advancements in the field of medicine have also helped in manipulating the sexuality of women. One of these strategies is referred to as facial feminization surgery (FFS). Plemons (2017) defines FFS as "A set of bone and soft tissue reconstructive surgical procedures intended to feminize the faces of transgender women" (p.2). The technology was developed in the 1980s and has consistently grown over the past few decades. Patients undergoing the procedure do it because they seek approval by women. Research has also established that the facial configuration has far much value for transgender people than the genital surgery. As illustrated by the author, transgender people endorse that identity is well-established through facial identities (Plemons, 2017). The technology has, therefore, assisted in changing narratives regarding gender embodiment. The debates on gender are backed by perception or identity and biological attributes such as the appearance of the face. Many males and transgender people that wish to transform have undergone the procedure and have achieved various levels of success. The change of facial recognition should be witnessed as a broader attempt to manipulate sexuality and achieve a different sexual experience than what they initially received (Aizura, 2009) FFS is, therefore, a landmark technological development in medicine that will significantly impact sociological and biological lenses of gender.
When assessing the role of technology, the impact of the internet cannot be underestimated. The internet is arguably the biggest invention of the past half a century. The author says, “Over the last 15 years, a significant number of empirical studies have shown that people use the Internet for a variety of sexual activities” (Daneback, Månsson, & Ross 2012). Studies have continued to show that this can have an impact on the sexual life of a person offline. The role of the internet has a significant role in changing the sex life of an individual. It acts as a meeting site for potential partners. It is used to view pornography and acquire information regarding sexual matters. The internet, as a form of technology, has aided women to revolutionize their sexual behavior. In providing a reason for this, the authors use a triple "A" model known as access, affordability, and anonymity. The internet is easily accessible, and the platform where sexual materials can be accessed relatively faster. Affordability refers to the ability to acquire internet services at a lower price than any other form of media (Daneback, Månsson, & Ross 2012). Thirdly, anonymity ensures that the user can access materials and use them without their identity being revealed to other users. The level of anonymity influences the type of sexual activity that an individual is likely to engage in. The behaviors acquired on the online platform affect the sexual behavior of many women and young adolescent women.
The advent of technology has also enabled women to differentiate between sex and reproduction. Conventionally