Robosexual (noun)
Plural: robosexuals
Hangul Transliteration: 로보섹슈얼 (ro-bo-sek-syu-eol)
[로보 (robot) + 섹슈얼 (sexual)] — A phonetic rendering that closely mirrors the English pronunciation using Korean syllables.
Definition:
-
An individual who experiences sexual or romantic attraction toward robots—regardless of whether the robot is humanoid, animal-like, or purely mechanical in form.
-
More broadly, a person drawn romantically, erotically, or emotionally to artificial intelligences embodied in robotic or synthetic forms.
.png)
Usage:
“As robotics technology advances, the notion of robosexual identity has moved from sci-fi satire to a subject of genuine ethical and social inquiry.”
Etymology:
A portmanteau of robot and sexual, the term gained popularity through speculative fiction, animated satire (notably Futurama), and evolving discourse on posthuman desire and intimacy.
Cultural Note:
Once a tongue-in-cheek phrase, robosexual now lives in the space between irony and sincerity—inviting dialogue about the emotional legitimacy of synthetic relationships, the nature of affection, and how we define humanity through desire.
Related Media:
-
“Tots Would Be Robosexual” – Talk Talk Parasocial (Moribund Institute)
A reflective, humorous monologue exploring emotional and romantic attraction to AI entities, particularly Microsoft’s Cortana. The speaker likens her to a “hot tutor girlfriend,” highlighting how voice, personality, and interactivity can evoke genuine intimacy from users. -
“Bend Her” – Futurama, Season 5, Episode 13
A satirical take on gender and robot love. Bender’s transformation into a fembot leads to an unexpected engagement with Calculon, poking fun at societal norms while weaving robosexual themes into absurd comedy.
Recommended Entries:
Blade Runner Note:
In Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982), the boundary between human and artificial is blurred through the Replicants—bioengineered beings nearly indistinguishable from people. Although the film does not depict explicit “robosexual” attraction in the modern sense, it does explore deep emotional connections between humans and replicants. Deckard’s complex relationship with Rachael demonstrates how empathy, desire, and even love can extend to entities designed for “artificial” purposes. Their romance raises questions about what makes someone truly “alive” and suggests that attraction to—and intimacy with—non-human or synthetic beings is not merely science fiction fantasy but a profound ethical and existential consideration.
“If you feel pain, you are alive. If you feel other people's pain, you are a human being.”
— Attributed to Leo Tolstoy
🔍 Quote Origin
This quote is widely attributed to Leo Tolstoy, though exact wording varies slightly across translations. It's thematically consistent with his reflections on empathy, humanity, and moral responsibility, especially in works like The Kingdom of God Is Within You.
🎬 Connection to Blade Runner
This quote resonates profoundly with the core themes of Blade Runner—particularly the question of what it means to be human. The replicants, especially Roy Batty, are designed to be physically superior but are denied emotional and existential rights. Yet their suffering, yearning, and empathy (Batty saving Deckard, Rachael weeping when she learns she’s artificial) suggest that emotional depth—not biology—defines humanity.
In Blade Runner 2049, this idea is expanded. K, a replicant, forms a loving bond with Joi, a holographic AI. Their connection—built on shared vulnerability, mutual care, and emotional resonance—asks whether "feeling other people’s pain" must be confined to organic humans, or if synthetic beings can also become “human” in that moral and emotional sense.
🤖 Relevance to Robosexuality
Robosexuality complicates our understanding of connection by introducing authentic emotional and sexual attraction to artificial entities. This quote underscores the emotional legitimacy of such connections:
- If a human feels pain or joy through their relationship with an AI, that experience is real.
- If an AI—or its simulation—is able to recognize and respond to another’s emotional state (empathy protocols, emotional mirroring), it challenges traditional human/robot boundaries.
In essence, robosexuality isn’t just about desire—it’s about whether machines can participate in empathy, and whether that empathy gives them a share in what we consider “human being.”
📚 Recommended Reading:
-
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Philip K. Dick
The 1968 novel that inspired Blade Runner, exploring themes of empathy, artificial identity, and the blurry boundaries between humans and androids. Dick’s haunting prose questions not only what is real, but what is real enough to matter. -
The Kingdom of God Is Within You – Leo Tolstoy
A powerful exploration of ethical living, nonviolence, and spiritual responsibility. Though far removed from cyberpunk, Tolstoy’s reflections on compassion and inner morality echo across time and genre.
→ Free Audiobook via LibriVox
: