So we have one of these at my university and a friend of mine in the FAU Comparative Studies PhD department Jeff Nall is working on research that looks at this robot, which simulates birth. He sees this pregnancy-bot as part of the medicalization of birth. For him this is akin to pornographic toys – like the Jenna Jameson vagina that can be bought which is literally just a vagina and upper thighs – so it objectifies the vagina and eliminates the subjectivity of the female.
Jeff’s argument is pretty convincing – he brings up all these advertisements, which imply that doctors are in control of birth not women – have any of you see Ricky Lake’s film about home birthing – The Business of Being Born – pretty interesting stuff: Here’s a clip from it – I think…
I’m on the fence – in some ways this looks like a great teaching tool – but then again when a woman goes into the labor room if her doctors and nurses are used to dealing with a robot will this undermine her agency as a living breathing woman ? Thoughts?
Feminist Cupcake
Feminism, Pop-culture, Body Image, and Stuff…
