Reading Response 5

In Cynthia Selfe’s “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution,” she discusses three narratives relating technology with certain myths. The one I felt most connected to was Narrative #3: “The Un-Gendered Utopia” and “The Same Old Gendered stuff.” This narrative reveals the revised narrative in “The Un-Gendered Utopia.” The popular narrative states that one’s gender does not matter in the technological world. But in reality, also known as the revised narrative, “women use technology within a clearly constrained set of appropriate settings: to enrich the lives of their family and to meet their responsibilities at home” (307). Women use technology such as appliances to better their home environment for their families. Vacuums to keep the floor clean, dishwashers to save time, and televisions to keep the children busy.

I do agree with the statement that the majority of women in today’s society are still playing the role as housekeeper, but the problem with this revised narrative concerning genders and technology is the fact that many women in today’s society work full-time. Not only do they work, but they work with technology. So, to say that women only use technology to benefit their home lives is wrong.

The situation I created with my quote forced me to choose dissenting for my countering strategy. I feel that my quote states something that is universally known but its missing the fact that women are becoming increasingly more present in the work place.