In the 1980s, Donna Haraway’s cyborg manifesto challenges normal societal ideals about gender identity and the line between a human and a machine. Now, when we get into the year like 2018, Janelle Monáe’s dirty computer helps bring these things to life in the modern day. Her album is a mix of Afrofuturism, being queer, and rebelling against an oppressive system. Both of these works explore the idea of breaking down these super strict categories of identity, and they both use the cyborg as a metaphor to betray this message. Cyborg represents a machine and an organism hybrid, which rejects the usual classifications of gender, sexuality, and humanity. Haraway’s cyborg insists on gender fluidity, where identity can be constructed by yourself, similar to non-binary and today’s age. In Computer, Monet presents a dystopian world where those who don’t conform to the norms of society are labeled as dirty. They are dirty computers and outsiders who are looked down upon because of their queerness and their refusal to fit into what society says is correct. But they can erase their refusal or be cleaned when they reclaim their identity, similar to Haraway’s cyborg, which is the change in our categorization. Monaé’s character, Jane 57821, moves through the futuristic world that is filled with control, surveillance, and punishment her songs, like Pynk and Django Jane, touch on themes of being gender fluid and defying normal gender roles. The album is a celebration of being queer and expressing your freedom while rejecting the norms that society expects you to live by. This is similar to the ideas that Haraway describes in her work. Haraway sees the cyborg as a metaphor for blended identities, while Monet shows how the blending occurs in the real world. There is a mix of race, gender, and sexuality that becomes the forefront of liberation. In both works, technology is a crucial component. Haraway sees technology as a tool for breaking down the oppressive system and blurring the lines of identity in the traditional sense. At the same time, Monet uses literal and symbolic representations of freedom and control. The album is a manifesto that calls for the same kind of post-gender post-race that Haraway envisions. Her album is an anthem for marginalized communities that urges listeners to embrace their differences and rebel against the control society that we live in.
Cyborg Dreams & Dirty Realities
Image of cyborg in a ruffled pink apron in a kitchen. This image was generated with the help of Artifical Intelligence using NightCafe Creator.
By Kaitlyn Murray
In Cyborg Manifesto, Donna Haraway imagines cyborgs as an entity transcending traditional human, animal, and machine boundaries. The cyborg is not locked down to societial pressures of gender and race, yielding a fluid and flexible identity. In Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe tells the story of Jane 57821 a “dirty computer” that struggles as she attempts to break free from societal norms and expectations.
In the song, “So Afraid,” a song on the Dirty Computer album, Monáe switches all the traditional roles of animal, male, female, and child. She begins the song by saying:
“all the kids run around
playing free and fun
While the dogs lap around the can
Falling down, climbing trees, swiming in the river”
Monáe gives imagery to this radical posthumanism idea, where the cyborg exists in this state of hybridity where the conventional boundaries of human and animal, nautral and artifical are challenged. She embraces the intersectionality of technology, human, and animal, giving way to this idea of the advancement of technology creating a space of liberty for new forms of existence that transcends society’s label. This aligns with Haraway’s cyborg—a symbol of fluidity and hybridity, where binaries and boundaries are dismantled to yield to expansive forms of being.
Monáe then says:
“Daughters sharpen their knives
and they hunt for food
Others watch their children grow”
Much like Haraway’s cyborg, Monáe’s characters use their non-conformity as a tool of liberation. She switches the gender roles as usually the man hunt for food and the women take care of the children. However, in this new world Monáe created, they are rejecting this patriarchal structure as they refuse to abide by the norms. Additionally, her word usage for those of a male gender as “other” illustrates Monáe’s characters reclaiming their own power and embracing their “dirtiness,” as percieved by those who give power to predetermined categories. This is similar to how Haraway’s cyborg challenges the systems that seek to control them.
In conclusion, Donna Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto envisions a world where the rejection of binaries and the embracing of complexity can lead to a reconstruction of society’s systems. Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer deeply resonates with Haraway’s themes, particularly in the exploration of fluid identities and the resistance to oppressive societal norms. Both works challenge traditional notions of identity, embracing the power of non-conformity, and envision technology as both a site of control and a space for liberation. As robot useage increases, with MIT enginners replacing chefs with robots and house-cleaning-robots, the distinction between “men’s jobs” and “women’s jobs” begins to fade. In a world where machines hold no gender, could this spark a new wave of feminism and liberation for women? How might the future of gender roles shift as technology continues to reshape the workforce? In the future, could we see ourselves living out Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto and witnessing the imagery Monáe evokes in “So Afraid”?
Works Cited:
Hitti, N. (2018, May 22). MIT engineers replace chefs with machines at “world’s first” robotic kitchen [Review of MIT engineers replace chefs with machines at “world’s first” robotic kitchen]. Dezeen.com; Dezeen. https://www.dezeen.com/2018/05/22/mit-engineers-replace-chefs-with-machines-in-worlds-first-robotic-kitchen/
Donna Haraway. (1985). 1985. Haraway, A Cyborg Manifesto. Science, Technology, And Socialist Feminism. In Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/1985.-haraway-a-cyborg-manifesto.-science-technology-and-socialist-feminism
D’Souza, A. (2021, April 15). Cleaning Robots Helps in Cleaning the Floor and Lawn. KBV Research Blog; KBV Research. https://www.kbvresearch.com/blog/cleaning-robots-helps-cleaning-floor-and-lawn/
Janelle Monáe. (2018). So Afraid [Song]. On Dirty Computer. Atlantic Records.
Cyborg Manifesto and Dirty Computer
Identity
Monáe’s album Dirty Compute and Donna Haraway’s “Cyborg Manifesto” share a common theme of identity. In Cyborg Manifesto Haraway did not have a firm stand of identity. Harraway allowed no restriction between the categories such as gender, race, or species. In the Monáe’s album there was also no restriction too. Monáe’s had a dystopian world where the lines were blurred between gender, race, and species. Monáe’s had express this in her songs PYNK and Make Me Feel.
Community
In Donna Haraway’s “Cyborg Manifesto” community was a big aspect in the book. Haraway talks about how building a community was important because it could be used to challenged power structures. The community becomes really important especially within the marginalized groups. Monáe’s album Dirty Compute talks about the important of community too. In the songs I Like That and Americans she talks about how communities should embrace unique identity. She also mentions in the songs that the community should fight against systemic oppression. In Monáe’s album Dirty Compute she talks more about celebrating and embracing the different communities.
A Dirty Cyborg Manifesto
Janelle Monae’s “Dirty Computer” album and Donna Haraway’s “A Cyborg Manifesto” both explore a fluidity of identity, critique of control, and resistance. Fluidity of identity is embraced in the album through the celebration of sexual and gender diversity, where traditional boundaries are blurred. Binary classification is rejected as love and attraction are explored across the broad spectrum of both sexuality and gender. In comparison, Haraway promotes a fluid understanding of self, specifically gender and sexuality. As far a critiquing control, both Haraway and Monae critique how society monitors and regulates identity, creating a struggle for autonomy. Lastly, there is the resistance against oppressive societal norms. “Dirty Computer” has a theme of rebellion and empowerment, challenging society exceptions. This theme is similar to Haraway’s call for liberation from traditional roles of gender and sexuality.
Beyond Boundaries: Exploring Identity in Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer and Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto
In Dirty Computer, Janelle Monáe constructs a dystopian world where individuals who defy societal norms are hunted down and “cleaned,” their non-conformity erased. This vision ties directly to Donna Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto, where she imagines a future where identity is fluid, post-gender, and unfixed—a direct challenge to the rigid boundaries of race, gender, and sexuality that shape our current world. Monáe’s work taps into Haraway’s radical ideas by using the metaphor of the “dirty computer” as a stand-in for the marginalized body, one that doesn’t fit cleanly into pre-assigned boxes.
In songs like “PYNK” and “I Like That,” Monáe embraces this fluidity, celebrating identities that move beyond binary constraints. The body and the self are portrayed as ever-evolving, a concept that Haraway explores through her cyborg figure—neither fully human nor machine, embodying multiplicity. Both Monáe and Haraway reject the traditional idea of purity or fixed identity, instead advocating for a world where hybridity is a source of strength.
Monáe also shares Haraway’s critical lens on the systems of power that attempt to control and erase non-conforming bodies. Tracks like “Django Jane” and “Crazy, Classic, Life” serve as declarations of resistance, much like Haraway’s insistence that cyborgs are political, standing against the patriarchal structures that seek to categorize and dominate. Through Monáe’s music, the cyborg becomes an empowering figure—one that reclaims autonomy in a world that tries to deny it.
Dirty Computer doesn’t just depict a dystopia; it imagines a path forward, a post-gender future where non-conforming identities are celebrated rather than erased. Like Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto, Monáe’s album pushes us to envision a world that transcends the rigid boundaries of race, gender, and sexuality, offering a new, fluid way of being.
To dive deeper into this connection, you might explore Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto. For a visual supplement, check out Monáe’s Dirty Computer short film, which expands on the album’s themes of liberation and identity fluidity.
Cyborgs and Computers: Haraway’s Vision in Monáe’s Dystopia
Janelle Monáe’s 2018 album “Dirty Computer” serves as a powerful exploration of themes first introduced in Donna Haraway’s seminal 1985 essay “A Cyborg Manifesto.” Both works grapple with identity, technology, and the blurring of boundaries in a world increasingly shaped by digital systems. Haraway envisioned a post-gender world where identity is fluid and not constrained by traditional categories, a concept that resonates strongly throughout “Dirty Computer.” In songs like “Crazy, Classic, Life,” Monáe celebrates freedom of expression and rejects societal limitations. The album’s overarching narrative of “dirty computers”—individuals deemed non-conforming by an oppressive system—directly challenges rigid identity constructs.
The cyborg, as Haraway conceptualized it, represents a fusion of human and machine. Monáe’s album title itself evokes this merging of the organic and technological. Throughout the album, she uses computer and technological metaphors to explore human experiences, as seen in the opening track where she compares feelings of love to computer hardware. Haraway saw the cyborg as a powerful symbol for resistance against oppressive systems, a theme central to “Dirty Computer.” In tracks like “Django Jane,” Monáe employs her art as a form of empowerment and defiance. The album’s accompanying “emotion picture” further reinforces this narrative of resistance in a dystopian world.
Both Haraway and Monáe challenge traditional categorizations. “Dirty Computer” seamlessly blends genres, refusing to be neatly classified, just as Haraway’s cyborg defies simple categorization. Songs like “Pynk” and “Make Me Feel” explore fluid sexuality and gender expression, echoing Haraway’s post-gender vision. Furthermore, Haraway emphasized the importance of rewriting dominant narratives, a principle that Monáe embodies in her work. By celebrating marginalized identities and challenging societal norms, she creates a form of “myth-making” that Haraway would likely appreciate.
While separated by decades, Haraway’s “Cyborg Manifesto” and Monáe’s “Dirty Computer” share a revolutionary spirit. Both works imagine new possibilities for identity and resistance in technologically mediated worlds. Monáe’s album brings Haraway’s theoretical concepts to life through powerful music and visuals, demonstrating the enduring relevance of these ideas in our increasingly digital age.
References
Dirty computer by Janelle Monáe. Genius. (n.d.). https://genius.com/albums/Janelle-monae/Dirty-computer
Breaking Away From Comformity
Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer (2018) and Donna Haraway’s essay “A Cyborg Manifesto” (1985) share strikingly similar themes of identity, technology, and rebellion against societal norms. Both works explore the concept of fluidity in gender, race, and sexuality, rejecting the idea that these identities need to conform to rigid categories. In Dirty Computer, Monáe uses the metaphor of the “dirty computer” to represent marginalized people who, like Haraway’s cyborgs, transcend the limitations of traditional identities, challenging what it means to be human in a tech-driven world. With that being said, I will take apart Janelle Monae’s album and dissect some of her lyrics.
Monáe’s celebration of fluidity, especially in songs like “PYNK,” reflects Haraway’s vision of a post-gender world. Monáe reclaims symbols of femininity and embraces sexual empowerment, much like Haraway’s cyborg, who refuses to fit neatly into societal expectations. By singing “Pynk like the inside of your…baby,” Monáe is not just celebrating femininity but also challenging traditional gender roles, aligning with Haraway’s idea of breaking down binary distinctions. Both women were sort of rebellions in the sense that they do not let what society sees as “normal” determine their outlook on themselves. Instead of conforming they made it a point to stand out and embrace their uniqueness.
Both Monáe and Haraway critique oppressive power structures. Monáe’s “Django Jane” asserts defiance against patriarchal and racist systems, paralleling Haraway’s cyborg rebellion. Monáe also clashes with the paradox of technology in Dirty Computer, recognizing it as both a tool for oppression and liberation. In songs like “We Appreciate Power,” she talks about how technology is used to control people, while simultaneously acknowledging its potential for self-expression and resistance, a theme central to Haraway’s manifesto. Ultimately, Dirty Computer embodies Haraway’s vision of a cyborg: a hybrid figure that resists traditional power structures and embraces fluid, diverse identities in a world dominated by technology.
Haraway and Monáe Breaking Boundaries and Redefining Identity
Donna Haraway’s A Cyborg Manifesto imagines a future where identity is no longer defined by categories like gender or race, allowing for a fluid self. In a similar way, Janelle Monáe’s album The ArchAndroid introduces the character of Cindi Mayweather, an android who defies societal expectations and fights for her right to be free. Both Haraway’s cyborg and Monáe’s android question the limits society places on individuals and push for a more inclusive vision of identity.
Haraway’s cyborg isn’t confined to the usual labels of human or machine, male or female. Instead, the cyborg represents the ability to exist beyond traditional categories. Monáe picks up this theme where her android character rebels against control and breaks out of the boxes society tries to put her in. In songs like “Cold War” and “Locked Inside,” Monáe explores the struggle against oppression, similar to Haraway’s cyborg vision of resisting systems of power. Both works ask important questions about how technology and society interact—sometimes limiting us, but also offering new ways to break free.
Monáe goes deeper by exploring the idea of what it means to be “real” or human. Cindi Mayweather’s story mirrors Haraway’s idea that identity can’t be fixed or easily defined. The android represents the freedom to be complex, shifting between different roles and identities, rather than being trapped in one version of the self. This connects to Haraway’s message that we should embrace hybrid identities and reject the pressure to fit into categories.
Both Haraway and Monáe challenge us to think beyond the boundaries that society sets for us. They remind us that identity is complex and that true freedom comes from embracing that complexity instead of conforming. Haraway and Monáe push us to imagine a future where we can exist as part human, part machine, part something entirely new.
Haraway’s Cyborgs and Monáe’s Vision of Identity
In a world increasingly defined by rigid categories of identity, Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer emerges as a powerful critique of societal norms, echoing the revolutionary ideas presented in Donna Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto. Written in 1985, Haraway’s essay envisions a post-gender future where identities are fluid and transcendent of traditional binaries. Monáe’s album, released in 2018, plunges into a dystopian landscape where individuals who defy normative identities face persecution, making her exploration of identity not only timely but also deeply resonant. By weaving together themes of technology, identity, and resistance, both Haraway and Monáe challenge us to rethink the boundaries that society imposes on who we can be.
Monae’s work reflects Haraway’s ideas, particularly in tracks like “PYNK,” where she celebrates fluidity and self-expression. The visuals and lyrics in this song emphasize a sense of freedom and solidarity among marginalized identities, paralleling Haraway’s vision of a future where hybrid identities can flourish outside societal constraints. As Haraway posits that cyborgs transcend traditional classifications, Monáe’s celebration of diverse sexualities and gender identities illustrates this transformative potential.
In “Django Jane,” Monáe further embodies Haraway’s call for coalition-building among marginalized groups. The song serves as an anthem of empowerment, pushing back against oppressive systems and advocating for the recognition of varied identities. Monáe’s portrayal of herself as both a cyborg and a political figure resonates with Haraway’s assertion that the cyborg is a means of resistance against fixed identity categories.
Ultimately, both Haraway and Monáe challenge the rigid structures that define identity. Monáe’s Dirty Computer not only echoes the themes of the Cyborg Manifesto but also emphasizes the ongoing relevance of Haraway’s ideas in contemporary discussions about identity and technology. This connection invites a critical reflection on how we navigate and embrace fluid identities in a world that often seeks to impose strict categorizations.
Fluidity and Resistance
Haraway’s essay “Cyborg Manifesto” introduces a vision of a post-gender world where identity is fluid. Fluid identity in the essay encourages the fluidity between gender and humans/machines. Similarly, Janelle Monáes’s album Dirty Computer discusses ideas of fluid identity. Monáe explores how fluidity across gender, race, and sexuality can be both a form of resistance as well as a target for oppression. Haraway’s essay is set in a post-human and post-gender society while Dirty Computer is set in a dystopian society where non-conforming individuals are oppressed. Specifically, gender and sexuality are highlighted throughout the album. While Haraway doesn’t pose those two concepts as central themes, they discuss cyborg resistance in which the oppressed groups must defy social norms to be liberated. Both works emphasize that liberation comes through challenging boundaries and societal norms.
In her album Monáe created characters called “ dirty computers” that represent individuals who defy societal norms whether it be race,gender,or sexuality. These characters must resist their oppressor to keep their unique differences. In contrast, Haraway depicts a world where the boundaries of those intersectionalities are already being challenged.Both the album and the essay introduce visions of cyborg resistance that encourage identity fluidity.These multifaceted works illustrate how resistance is how you battle oppression. The marginalized groups would remain marginalized without resistance and would therefore perpetuate dystopian societies.Although these works have different settings and character types,they have overlapping themes.
Given that Monáe is an African American queer artist, this album is probably a representation of her story. Sexuality is and has always been a debate that puts non-conforming people in a group that subjects them to oppression. African Americans are also historically marginalized and oppressed. Monáe used this album to express her personal struggles in a way that includes African Americans and queer people in the cyberpunk genre.