Something that fascinates me about masculine cyborgs is how counter-traditional they are as a representation of how tools and technology can be applied to the male body. When I refer to traditions (and let me add the caveat that I'm talking about the Western traditions) of body-alteration, the main figures that come to mind are the eunuch and the Amazon. Both these figures are to a greater or lesser extent defined by the alterations made to their bodies, and in both cases the alterations are generally read as diminishing their connection to the gender they were assigned at birth. So, we have a tradition of the masculinized female body, and a tradition of the feminized male body. Since the former exists on a continuum with contemporary cyborg narratives, it doesn't interest me as much as the latter, which the introduction of the cyborg has almost completely displaced.
That is, where technology was formerly able only to feminize the male body, the advent of the cyborg allowed the same body to be radically masculinized. I'm thinking here of figures like the Terminator, who are faster, harder, stronger, and more analytical than organic men. In fact, the only area in which the the male cyborg seems to fall short in his masculinity is in his inability to reproduce (some time ago I came across a claim that the Terminator "clearly" doesn't have a penis, but in the absence of any evidence, I'm unconvinced). His exterior structure aside, however, it is quite clear from his interior metal frame that the Terminator is unable to reproduce.
I would hazard a guess that this impotence is the reason why so many cyborg narratives deal with themes of paternity. The Terminator is a surrogate father, Robocop explores the degree to which a cyborg can retain paternity, and one of my favourite books, Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve, also has an important storyline dealing with the adoption of a child by a male cyborg. I'm certain I could come up with many more instances of this if I had time right now.
Cyborgs seem to make pretty good dads; given the circumstances, I can't even say they're over-protective. They're surrogates, so they don't pass on genes, but they do pass on memes, which, in an increasingly cybernetic culture, may be the most important inheritance of all.
2 comments:
I'm unclear about the term 'amazon'.
I don't think that cyborgs are inherently impotent. It depends what kind of cyborg you are talking about. Either if it's a robot that is partly organic or if it's a organism that is then made partly robotic. If it is the latter then I would guess they could be still able to reproduce.
I would also question the fathering ability of the terminator. Is being protective constitute a good father? In the movies specifically the terminator was not quite able of emotional connection. I'm sure there are children out there that have protective fathers that emotionally detached and don't feel that their father has done a good job.
The Amazons are a tribe of women in Ancient Greek narratives who were extremely competent warriors and who kept the fathers of their children absent in a separate settlement. They were famous for amputating their right breast in order to be able to draw their bowstrings back further.
As for the Terminator's parental ability... I was being slightly tongue in cheek, but what I had in mind was the fact that cyborg/android father figures never abandon or neglect their children. I also think the Terminator does show some emotional capacity.
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