The sexbot sucks

In more ways than one. Roxxxy is the world’s first sex robot, apparently. Harmless? As already noted by Alex DiBranco on Change.org, I think not.

(The Telegraph also covered the story and reported on Roxxxy as though she was the latest app for your iphone.)

There is something very sinister about Roxxxy.

She is lifesize. She has skin sensors all over her body. She is wearing skimpy underwear and she is ‘ready to go’, say her developers.

She also has a selection of personalities. One of them is called Frigid Farrah. Farrah is ‘reserved and shy’. When you touch her, she says: “No! Stop!” (Remember, ‘frigid’ is an insult towards women who just don’t fancy you.) The idea is that you have sex with Farrah anyway.

What message is the sexbot giving out to society? You can do whatever you like to Roxxxy, whether she likes it or not. Especially if she says she doesn’t want it.

The message is that consent of a woman is meaningless, because men make all the decisions about how a woman’s body is treated.

You may think: but she’s only a doll! Maybe so, but much of sexism is subconscious; it’s about society’s attitude to women. It contaminates our culture and society. The more degrading images of women we see around us, the more we become used to seeing real women in the same way.

Rape is sex without consent; it’s all about power and control. Having sex with Roxxxy is simulating rape. Her existence – even as a doll – propagates the repugnant idea that women are objects and men can treat them as such.

Sooner or later, men will become bored with Roxxy because, after all, she is only a doll. They will want real power. They will seek that with real women – but, to the men, the women will all be Roxxxy.

See Roxxxy on YouTube here.