Techno-Performativity And Posthuman Gender Fluidity In Marge Piercy’s He, She And It

Abstract

Techno-performativity is a layered study of gender that explores how gender operates in a world shaped by technology. It suggests that technology plays a vital role in forming, expressing and challenging gender identities and social roles. This study examines how emerging technologies create new ways of understanding gender, reshaping how individuals perceive themselves and their place in the world while forming intimate human–technology relationships that also present potential challenges. Drawing on the theories of Judith Butler, Katherine Hayles, Donna Haraway and Sadie Plant, the research critically analyzes Marge Piercy’s He, She and It (1991) to explore how human and technological forms of gender are constructed. It investigates the complex interplay between technology, gender formation, emotional intimacy, social norms and power in a techno-performative society. The study demonstrates how traditional boundaries and male-centered perspectives are questioned in technological contexts and argues that transformations in gender performance emerge from the dynamic relationship between gender and technology, breaking down fixed binaries and fostering new, more fluid identities.