Through reading Glitch Feminism, I think about what we think our bodies do and what we want our bodies to do. In part six of the article, the author says that defining the body based on the gender and color of the person is a pitfall (Russell 2020). I couldn't agree more with this point of view. I think that natural skin color and gender are like different languages used in programming, like JavaScript or Processing. Even if people use other languages to make them, the result can be exciting and diverse. The way gender is coded allows different genders to read additional content. Gender Glitch seems to be either a bug in a piece of code or a strange end effect due to a bug. The glitch in gender is like an encrypted code or file, and this part is the unique and mysterious existence of each person. The Glitch of Gender is against the presence of the traditional body frame. Our bodies (whether male, female, people of color) communicate different messages. The messages that people understand depend on the way we know them. In part 7 of the article, the author gives the example of Labeija's dance performance in a public space (Russell 2020); Labeija's act is a way of resistance and expression. This dance performance has a different interpretation for others. I believe that different bodies and different skin colors, and different experiences convey a completely different message when performing the same dance. The viewer will understand the meaning in a completely different way. So, the body is communicating a message and a culture.
At the beginning of my exploratory writing, I wrote that I started thinking about the function of the body and the function of the skin and what we want our bodies to do. The skin and body are containers for our soul and brain, which express information through the limbs. The skin and body both allow people to become open and absorb information, but they also define and categorize them with color and gender. It is like an alien in a constantly splitting container, very contradictory and trying to break free. In chapter 8, the author says that the skin can help us feel (Russell 2020). I think the skin can help us feel the temperature, the hug, the material, and also help us discern what others think of us. It is both physical and psychological. When I am confronted with the malice of others, my skin and body often feel it first and subconsciously try to escape. There are many things in this world that humans cannot adapt to, such as extremely high or low temperatures. Our skin is the first to feel these difficulties. It protects us. Even though there are many difficulties in the world, humans are still creating objects that allow them to escape for a while. The digital world provides a shell for humans to run and express themselves for a bit. Advanced technology provides people with convenience, and I think it also pushes people to progress. People are looking for a better life rather than a primitive one, so they need to create and break the past rules. I agree with the author's statement in chapter 12 that we cannot wait for the world to embrace us, but we should create our new world (Russell 2020).
References
Russell, L. (2020). Glitch feminism: A manifesto. London: Verso.