Tag: BP03

Breaking Boundaries: Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer and Haraway’s Cyborg Vision

Justice K.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In Donna Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto, she envisions a world where identity is not fixed by traditional categories such as gender, race, or sexuality, but is instead flexible and shaped by technology. She imagines the “cyborg” as a hybrid being, one that is not limited to binary thinking and traditional systems of power. This idea connects with the themes in Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer, which portrays a dystopian future where individuals who don’t conform to societal norms are persecuted, particularly those who deviate from traditional gender roles or sexual identities.

Monáe’s album is a strong statement of self-empowerment and resistance against a world that seeks to control and define people. In tracks like “Pynk” and “Make Me Feel,” Monáe celebrates fluidity in sexuality and gender, breaking down the binaries that Haraway critiques in her manifesto. Just as Haraway imagines a future where technology can help dismantle restrictive identities, Monáe uses her music as a platform for self-expression that challenges norms. The metaphor of the “dirty computer” speaks to a body that is “corrupted” or “imperfect” by societal standards, yet this imperfection is what makes it human and powerful. It matches Haraway’s idea of the cyborg, which rejects the notion of perfection and natural ideals in favor of a more hybrid and, ultimately, free existence.

The story in Dirty Computer reflects Haraway’s criticism of the restrictions placed on gender and sexuality. In songs like “Django Jane,” Monáe reclaims her power and space, both as a woman and as a person of color. This is a theme that mirrors Haraway’s call to break down traditional power structures. Monáe’s depiction of a persecuted group in Dirty Computer directly mirrors Haraway’s warning that systems of domination, whether through gender, race, or technology, often rely on rigid categories to maintain control. In Monáe’s world, non-conforming individuals are labeled as “dirty” or “outlaws,” much like the cyborg rejects the boundaries set by society.

Ultimately, Dirty Computer offers a musical interpretation of Haraway’s cyborg. Both works question the concept of identity as something static and instead embrace fluidity, technology, and resistance as pathways to a more liberated existence.

Dirty Computer and the virus that differentiates us

Aryaam H.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In Janelle Monae’s 2018 album, Dirty Computer, Janelle positions computers as analogous to humans, highlighting the rigid nature of both. Both this album and Haraway’s concepts, challenge traditional gender, sexuality, and race roles within human beings using the “human v machine” debate as a closer look into this. Janelle mainly uses the term “dirty computers” to describe a computer that has a bug or virus in it. Translating this to humans, this would mean any human that does fit the societal mold of what it means to be perfect. And perfect for Janelle is a white straight man. Haraway deems the cyborg as something similar: the rejection of what it means to be a perfect human. There are binary constraints that a cyborg cannot adhere to, and similarly, neither do humans who were born “different”. In this case, the narrative of it being  “bug” is a positive to Janelle and she does not shy away from celebrating her differences. To Haraway, the only way to liberate hybridity is to reject the societal notions and constraints that lead to this. 

“Janelle Monae Age Of PleasureTour 2023” by Casira Copes is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

In the beginning of “Crazy, Classic, Life” Janelle offers her rendition of the declaration of  independence by declaring “That all men and women are created equal”. This particular lyrics then challenges and confronts the lack of female inclusion without society, culture, and politics in documents that have become the backbone of America. If America will not include her, then Janelle would force it to. It is this unabashed opinion that mirrors the exact critique Haraway has on the power behind the patriarchal structures in our society. Janelle also unwinds the intersectionality between her race and gender by comparing her stress as a black woman to the stress her afro undergoes when it is forced to be “pressed”. Hairstyles in the African American community is ranked favorably paced in its vicinity to white hairstyles. Women who often walk out in their natural hair are seen as messy and unkempt. Haraway similarly rejects this one-sided privilege whether it be gender or race that is being exhibited. In “Django Jane”, Janelle attempts to “take back the narrative” from white men. Using the metaphor of a computer, she opts to rewrite her own future and identity.

When world’s collide, BP03

Chelsea M.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Donna Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto envisions a world where rigid boundaries—human versus machine, male versus female—are dismantled in favor of fluid, hybrid identities. This concept finds a striking parallel in Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer, which critiques societal norms by celebrating non-conformity, queerness, and individuality. Both works address the oppressive forces that constrain identity, offering pathways to liberation through hybridity and resistance.

Haraway’s cyborg, a metaphor for transcending binaries, finds new life in Monáe’s futuristic, dystopian narrative. In Dirty Computer, Monáe portrays herself as a “dirty computer”—a being targeted for erasure because of her refusal to conform. Through songs like “Make Me Feel,” Monáe rejects fixed labels, celebrating fluidity in sexuality and identity. Similarly, Haraway asserts that identity need not adhere to traditional binaries; instead, it thrives in intersections and multiplicities. Monáe’s defiance echoes this sentiment, blending elements of Black culture, queerness, and technological imagery to challenge norms that attempt to limit human expression.

This interplay between identity and oppression has deep roots in the works of Black authors like Octavia Butler, whose novels such as Kindred and Parable of the Sower explore how race, gender, and power intersect in dystopian settings. Butler’s exploration of adaptable, fluid identities aligns with Haraway’s vision of the cyborg. For example, Butler’s protagonists often survive by rejecting societal expectations and reshaping their identities to fit new, often hostile realities. These themes resonate in Monáe’s work, as she uses the lens of technology and queerness to critique structures that oppress marginalized communities.

In the context of America, where gender identity continues to spark political and cultural debates, works like Dirty Computer are vital. They confront the erasure of queer, non-binary, and Black identities and experiences, emphasizing the importance of a firmness in one’s self and building self intimacy in a society eager to impose categories and judgement. Monáe and Haraway, like Butler, advocate for a world where identities are not confined but celebrated in their complexity—a vision both radical and profoundly human.

Their combined artistic efforts created contemporary resistance, offering a blueprint for embracing intersectionality in the fight for acceptance in humanity.

Breaking Boundaries: Life

Kayla G.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

In Donna Haraway’s “ A Cyborg Manifesto” she depicts a future cyborg where the boundaries of identity are merged. Identity markers like gender, machine, human, race, and others are dissolved into a fluid identity. These themes can be seen depicted in Janelle Monae album Dirty Computer. Throughout Janelle Monae’s album she depicts herself as Cindi Mayweather, an android in a dystopian like society where they face marginalization for not conforming to their societal view.  In the videos the album shows the android reaching self-acceptance and resistance against oppressive structures. 

Haraway’s main ideas show the pleasure in merging boundaries and taking ownership of its construction. She uses the cyborg as a metaphor for breaking down the binary world of male and female/human and machine. She is advocating for a post-gender, intersectional society. Haraway argues that society wants a cyborg to be a faithful machine that listens to its creator.They are not designed or depicted as autonomous self-moving beings. However,  the cyborg’s connections to humans makes them self-developing . Cyborg’s will evolve as a matter of survival, which can be seen as an act of liberation. One example from Haraway’s manifesto that connects to Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer is the act of destroying man through the use of machines.  

 Monáe’s Dirty Computer starts off  depicting how society tries to classify people as computers and those who were deemed different were classified as dirty. If they chose to oppose those in control they were kidnapped and “cleaned” in a  way. Monae’s computers are similar to Haraway’s  cyborg in the sense of being created to be faithful and listen to those in power. In both of these works these leaders are trying to play God.  However, both Haraway’s cyborg and Monae’s dirty computer challenge the power structures they are faced with. These beings simply want to exist without the impending boundaries of society.  In conclusion, Dirty Computer and “A Cyborg Manifesto” envision a world where beings whether man or machine can exist without boundaries of identity. Monáe’s Dirty Computers portrays marginalized voices rising against oppressive systems that strive for heteronomy. Monae’s work embodies Haraway’s vision of the cyborg as both oppressed and striving for liberation.

Conformity of Society

Kayla G.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Imagine waking up from a goodnight’s rest to discover you are being turned into a cyborg.

In Donna Haraway’s “ A Cyborg Manifesto” she depicts a future cyborg where the boundaries of identity are merged. Identity markers like gender, machine, human, race, and others are dissolved into a fluid identity. These themes can be seen depicted in Janelle Monae album Dirty Computer. Throughout Janelle Monae’s album she depicts herself as Cindi Mayweather, an android in a dystopian like society where they face marginalization for not conforming to their societal view.  In the videos the album shows the android reaching self-acceptance and resistance against oppressive structures. 

Haraway’s main ideas show the pleasure in merging boundaries and taking ownership of its construction. She uses the cyborg as a metaphor for breaking down the binary world of male and female/human and machine. She is advocating for a post-gender, intersectional society. Haraway argues that society wants a cyborg to be a faithful machine that listens to its creator.They are not designed or depicted as autonomous self-moving beings. However,  the cyborg’s connections to humans makes them self-developing . Cyborg’s will evolve as a matter of survival, which can be seen as an act of liberation. One example from Haraway’s manifesto that connects to Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer is the act of destroying man through the use of machines.  

 Monáe’s Dirty Computer starts off  depicting how society tries to classify people as computers and those who were deemed different were classified as dirty. If they chose to oppose those in control they were kidnapped and “cleaned” in a  way. Monae’s computers are similar to Haraway’s  cyborg in the sense of being created to be faithful and listen to those in power. In both of these works these leaders are trying to play God.  However, both Haraway’s cyborg and Monae’s dirty computer challenge the power structures they are faced with. These beings simply want to exist without the impending boundaries of society.  In conclusion, Dirty Computer and “A Cyborg Manifesto” envision a world where beings whether man or machine can exist without boundaries of identity. Monáe’s Dirty Computers portrays marginalized voices rising against oppressive systems that strive for heteronomy. Monae’s work embodies Haraway’s vision of the cyborg as both oppressed and striving for liberation.

OpenAI. (2024). Waking up as a cyborg [AI-generated image]. DALL·E.

What do an Author and Music Artist Have in Common… Societal Revolution!

Lavell A.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Both Donna Haraway’s essay “Cyborg Manifesto” and Janelle Monae’s album “Dirty Computer” share a similar tone in their message.  They challenge the societal norms regarding what really defines human identity.  Through their pieces, they blend aspects between humans and technology producing numerous additional possibilities on how one would view themselves.  In turn here, the goal both creators seek to achieve is to inspire people to feel comfortable with showing their true selves even if there are others that may oppose you.  Be who you really are.

            To start us off, Haraway’s cyborg is designed to blur the societal boundaries placed on human and machine and the binary gender roles of male and female.  The idea of being found in between any of these roles are uplifted instead of shot down which takes us to Monae’s album where that is the whole central idea.  Those who are termed “Dirty Computers” are the same people that defy the societal norms.  The cyborg identity is designed to be adaptable and limber (easily shaped or changed).

            The difference between the two pieces is that Monae’s album depicts the side that sees this freedom as unlawful much more than Haraway.  Haraway mainly focuses on the relationship of the cyborg resembling that of liberation.  Monae adds more worldbuilding to her story to signify that even though personal change is good and should be celebrated, everyone doesn’t think the same way.  Her character is being fully persecuted against by the authorities of her world, because she wanted to be more than what society would allow.

            Both ladies all together hope to share a hopeful tale in which no matter whomever it concerns should truly become one with themselves.  Your identity shouldn’t be restricted by other people or governmental identities and if they are in any way, you should stand up for yourself and what you believe in.  Embrace your fluidity. Celebrate it.  And live beyond the limitations set before you.

What is it to Even Be Human?

Olivia S.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Donna Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto and Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer may appear to be from vastly different worlds—an academic essay from the mid-1980s and a futuristic concept album from 2018. Yet, both works converge on shared themes of identity, resistance, and the fluidity of the human identity. Haraway’s cyborg—a fusion of machine and organism that disrupts conventional boundaries—is mirrored in Monáe’s portrayal of “dirty computers,” individuals whose non-conforming identities challenge societal norms in a dystopian world. Monáe takes Haraway’s theoretical vision and weaves it into a heartfelt narrative, exploring fluidity, rebellion, and liberation.

Haraway’s essay imagines a “post-gender” world where identity is no longer constrained by traditional binaries. Her cyborg metaphor dismantles divisions such as human/machine, nature/culture, and male/female, arguing that these boundaries perpetuate inequality. Similarly, Monáe’s album celebrates identities that resist categorization, representing her own fluid identity. Songs like “PYNK” embrace the fluidity of gender and sexuality, rejecting fixed definitions in favor of a spectrum. Monáe’s lyrics and visuals suggest that liberation lies in embracing multiplicity—an idea central to Haraway’s manifesto.

This image was created by ChatGPT on 22 November 2024. https://chatgpt.com/c/6740b8ff-9844-8009-bf63-205b500367fd

Moreover, Haraway frames the cyborg as inherently political, a symbol of resistance against oppressive systems. This is vividly echoed in Monáe’s Dirty Computer, which tells the story of Jane 57821, a rebel in a society that “cleans” non-conforming individuals to erase their identities. Tracks like “Django Jane” and “Crazy, Classic, Life” celebrate defiance and self-expression, aligning with Haraway’s vision of the cyborg as a figure that destabilizes oppressive power structures. Monáe’s dystopia critiques real-world systems of control, from surveillance to social conformity, much like Haraway’s cyborg challenges the dominance of capitalist and patriarchal ideologies. Haraway’s cyborg can be further examined in this analysis by Rebecca Pohl.

Monáe also mirrors Haraway’s exploration of technology as a double-edged sword. In Cyborg Manifesto, technology is both a tool of oppression and a means of subversion. The cyborg’s hybridity offers a way to reimagine identity beyond traditional limits. Similarly, Monáe’s album presents technology as a battleground. Songs like “Screwed” critique how power exploits technological tools, while the album’s narrative ultimately suggests that technology can also be reclaimed for liberation. The concept of being a “dirty computer” embraces the idea of imperfection as a form of resistance, much like Haraway’s cyborg rejects purity in favor of hybrid identities.

Finally, both Haraway and Monáe emphasize the importance of collective solidarity. Haraway envisions a world where the cyborg fosters new alliances that transcend race, gender, and class. Monáe’s work embodies this ethos, particularly in her collaboration with diverse artists and her calls for unity among marginalized communities. Songs like “Americans” highlight the intersections of different struggles, advocating for a future where differences are celebrated rather than erased.

In blending the theoretical with the personal, Haraway and Monáe challenge us to envision futures where identity is not a source of division but a wellspring of creativity and strength. While Haraway provides the framework, Monáe breathes life into it, creating a vivid, emotionally resonant exploration of what it means to resist conformity in a world that demands uniformity. Together, they remind us that the boundaries we draw—between human and machine, male and female, self and other—are not fixed but fluid, and in that fluidity lies the potential for radical transformation. To get a more in depth review of Monae’s album Dirty Computer, check out this link.

The Accepted Self

Jennifer V.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Has anyone seen the show Teen Titans before? Amazing show by the way. But Victor Stone was just an ordinary human boy who excelled at football, and has a pretty neglectful father. Always hell bent on research, his father was never really there to support Victor in his achievements. Then one day Victor got into a fatal accident and his father tried to save the remnants of his body by fusing his remaining parts with machines. Simply put, after the augmentations Victor began to live strictly in the shadows with huge hoodies on because he was embarrassed of what he was or how people would react to him until the Teen Titans found him. (I really tried to find a good video on the backstory of Cyborg, but I could not find anything so instead please enjoy this clip from Iron Man) https://youtu.be/-zya4vJ-kQE?si=FU99o8O7etvV8Soa

But are Cyborgs really that scary? Haraway would say that augmentations are on a spectrum and the boundary lines between human and machines are already blurry. So in a way, Haraway would be calling you a hypocrite if you oppressed someone just on the basis that they are cybernetic. With our rapidly growing medical technology what is the difference between cyborgs and humans? Humans get teeth implants, pacemaker implants, and even arm/leg implants, and yet we still envision cyborgs as the danger to society. I think that this is perfectly shown in The ArchAndroid’s Many Moons because the song is about self realization and identities. Cindy Mayweather, an android, is able to have multiple personalities and on a spectrum just like humans. Nothing is ever white or black and I think that Haraway’s stance on her Cyborg Manifesto can also be put into practice on how we treat others. If nothing is every white or black, then that means every aspect of our lives in on a wavelike spectrum; so who are we to belittle or ostracize someone just because they present themselves in a different wavelength than ourselves.

In the album, Cindy Mayweather is a beacon of hope for people who are still fighting the battle of injustice today. To the “other” groups who have been put down and abused just because society cannot handle such brilliance. Haraway also rejects rigid views of gender and sex identities as well, so the album can help to uplift anybody from any group no matter what race, gender, class, or sex.

Relation between Monae and Haraway

Kaydra R.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The ideas of haraway discussed in her manifesto are being explored in Monae’s album by relation to themes of identity, resistance to repressive structures, and the dismantling of fixed boundaries like race, gender, and sexuality. In the worlds depicted in these works, distinctions between human and machine, masculine and female, and natural and fake/man made are destroyed, and people who create these divisions are changed by society. Also to the possibility of emancipation by accepting hybrid identities. According to Haraway’s vision in Cyborg Manifesto, the cyborg represents a future in which identity is not limited by established categories like gender, race, or class. Similar to this, Monáe utilizes the character of the “dirty computer” in Dirty Computer to stand in for those who don’t conform to conventional stereotypes about gender, sexual orientation, or race. Similar to the cyborg, Monáe’s “dirty computers” face marginalization and persecution, but they also provide hope for freedom by embracing their diversity. In contrast to Cyborg Manifesto, which emphasizes the theoretical possibility of identity fluidity and boundary breaking, Monáe’s Dirty Computer presents a picture of society, portraying those who defy conventional standards as targets of persecution. The storyline of the album, which depicts “dirty computers” being sought out by a society, alludes to the negative effects of residing in a culture that discourages and penalizes deviation from the norm. While racism is discussed as fundamental forms of identity in Monáe’s manifesto, Haraway’s manifesto largely concentrates on gender. In Dirty Computer, Monáe addresses the oppressions experienced by Black, queer, and non-binary people by explaining the ways in which technology, control, and race and sexuality all interact with each other. Monáe’s album expands on Haraway’s idea of the cyborg as a symbol for all oppressed identities by addressing the actual realities of people who are ignored due to their sexual preference, race, and gender in addition to their gender.

Breaking Boundaries: Cybernetic Bodies in The ArchAndroid and “A Cyborg Manifesto”

Chloe' T.
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Janelle Monae’s songs in the album explore many of Haraway’s ideas from Cyborg Manifesto. One topic that connects with Haraway’s essay is cyborg as a metaphor. Monae also uses her character, an android,  Cindi Mayweather as a metaphor. These two think similarly by using cyborgs and characters to represent the boundaries of human and machine-changing human identity. ArchAndroid critiques societal structures of race, gender, and identity, challenging the structures by advocating for more inclusivity. Haraway has the idea from Cyborg Manifesto critiquing traditional feminism encouraging the pluralistic view of gender and identity creating a difference in society. This relates to Monae’s album because she explores intersectionality highlighting various identities and how the factors contribute to being viewed as an other.  When it comes to Haraway’s idea of blurring of boundaries the difference I see there is Donna mentions 3 key boundaries human and animal, organism and machine, physical and non-physical, while Janelle mentions the character of human and machine. A question to think about is how can Janelle introduce the two other key boundaries in her narrative of her albums. Social and Political commentary from ArchAndroid represents racism and gender oppression expanding that technology is a tool of corporate control, but racial power structure, while on the other hand, Haraway’s essay mentions the disruption of power structures because of new identities that constraints the traditional political categories.  Lastly, I wanted to cover how Monae expressed throughout her album the duality of technology with oppression and liberation. She does this by combining liberation and oppression with her character, Cindi Mayweather breaking free from societal chains, but using technology to support marginalized voices. Donna Haraway expresses how technology is beneficial for liberation and oppression because of the improvement of technology creating new identities and narratives to overturn traditional power structures. 

Janelle Monáe’s ‘Dirty Computer – an emotion picture’