Feminist Views of Cybersex: Victimization, Liberation, and Empowerment
“Cybersex can be defined as a social interaction between at least two persons who are exchanging real time digital messages in order to become sexually aroused and satisfied. This article first describes video- and text-based cybersex as a new kind of sexual encounter with its own particularities. Then the feminist literature on cybersex is reviewed revealing two basic perspectives: The victimization perspective interprets cybersex as a heterosexist practice, and focuses on how women and girls as individuals and as a group are harmed by online-harassment, virtual rape and cyber-prostitution. The liberation perspective, in contrast, focuses on the options computer-mediated communication offers women and girls who actively seek sexual pleasure online. From that viewpoint, cybersex frees females to explore their sexualities more safely and to enjoy more sex, better sex and different sex”.
This article, from Nicola Döring , criticizes both the victimization and the liberation perspective and offers an integrative empowerment perspective that acknowledges power discourse as an essential sexual issue online and off.
Read the complete paper here: Döring, N. (2000). Feminist Views of Cybersex: Victimization, Liberation, and Empowerment. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 3 (5), 863-884.
11.03.09 | cybersex, intimacy, new technologies, woman | Comments [1]
Communicating Intimacy for couples in long-distance relationships
This study from the Cornell University in New York, demostrates the importance of comunication, no matter how simple it is!
ABSTRACT: “In this paper, we present a study of ‘minimal intimate objects’: low bandwidth devices for communicating intimacy for couples in long-distance relationships. We describe a user study of a software intimate object built to communicate a single bit at a time. The results from both log data and journal entries suggest that even a one-bit communication device is seen by users as a valuable and rich channel for communicating intimacy, despite the availability of wider channels of communication such as email, instant messaging, and telephone. We suggest the constrained nature of the communication affords active reinterpretation by its users, and discuss the results in the context of the study of intimacy in human-computer interaction”.
25.04.07 | communication, intimacy, new technologies |
Tips for Couples
I like this page because anyone can write or edit it: Wikihow. This time, I found many articles with tips for couples living apart. In the following document you´ll find a selection of tips on how to make a long distance relationship work and also recommendations about how to have a healthy relationship, how to solve problems, how to maintain the romance and how to save money in long distance calls.
How to Make a Long Distance Relationship Work (PDF, 140KB)
2.04.07 | advice, communication, intimacy, long distance relationship, romance, tips | Comments
Supporting Simple Intimacy
ABSTRACT: “In this paper, we describe three experiments in designing for minimal, expressive communication. These are very simple networked devices that are aimed at supporting implicit, personal, and expressive communication, as opposed to the explicit, goal-oriented, and informative communication characterising most CSCW systems. We suggest that these prototypes open an interesting space for collaborative systems, and describe some of the issues and opportunities they raise.”
Feather, Scent, and Shaker: Supporting Simple Intimacy. Strong, R., and Gaver, 1996. (PDF, 48KB)
14.03.07 | communication, intimacy, new technologies | Comments
Sensing Beds
If sometimes you cannot sleep because you´re missing your partner, you may find interesting the idea of the Sesing Beds.
„The Sensing Beds domesticate communications devices by placing them in the bedroom. The beds mediate between two romantic partners who are not co-located by sensing body position in each bed and using a grid of small heating pads to warm the congruent points in the other bed. As an experiment in telepresence, they bridge the physical distance between two people who would normally share a bed, but find themselves sleeping apart. As an experiment in slow technology and emotional communication, they articulate users’ existing concerns about intimacy, trust and knowledge.“
Sensing Beds. Elizabeth Goodman, Marion Misilim. Interactive Telecommunications Program. New York University, 2003 (PDF, 152KB)
5.03.07 | intimacy, new technologies | Comentarios
