“I Know Just What She Wants”: Constructing Gender, Sexuality, and Relationships on the Doll Forum
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“I know just what she wants”: Constructing Gender, Sexuality, and Relationships on The Doll Forum By Meaghen Boiteau A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Sociology University of Manitoba Winnipeg © March, 2011 by Meaghen Boiteau ABSTRACT Abyss Creations has been creating and selling extremely life-like silicone dolls designed primarily for sex known as Real Dolls since 1996. Since 2001, The Doll Forum has provided an online space where users of Real Dolls are able to connect with one another and discuss a myriad of issues relating to the use of Real Dolls. This thesis explores the specific ways in which members utilize The Doll Forum as a space to discursively construct gender, sexuality, and relationships as they pertain to the use of Real Dolls. Utilizing the theory of performativity, I engage in a Critical Discourse Analysis of one month of posts from The Doll Forum. I argue that through the discussions and images which members post within The Doll Forum, they discursively work to both reinforce and challenge current constructions of gender, sexuality, and relationships. By doing so, members of The Doll Forum use the space to normalize their sexual behaviour, as well as reinforce the performative nature of these constructions. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I have to first and foremost thank my advisor, Dr. Elizabeth Comack, for all of her help throughout this project. Her extreme patience and guidance has been a true blessing, and while words do not quite seem enough to express my gratitude, I am extremely thankful for everything she has done. As well, I have to thank my committee, Dr. Sonia Bookman and Dr. Susan Frohlick for their amazing support and guidance. This project would not be what it is without all of the amazing feedback and help I received. I have to thank the entire staff and faculty in the Department of Sociology. The time that I have spent at the University of Manitoba has been some of the most memorable of my life, and the guidance, support, and assistance of everyone will not be soon forgotten. I will be forever grateful for the wonderful opportunities and experiences I have been given. This journey would not have been as enjoyable as it was, or at all possible to complete, without the unending support of many friends as well. I especially have to thank: Shannon Robertson, Sarah Mitzner, Sheena Conrad, Brittny Trubyk, Alicia Sosa Lerin, Natasha Stecy- Hildebrandt, Joelle Shelton, Colleen Pawlychka, and Brianne Goertzen for many hours of support. I love you all and am truly blessed to have friends as wonderful as you. I also would not have been able to complete this journey without the unending love and support of my family. My parents, Shirley and Gerald, my sisters Kara and Emily, and all of my extended family who were always willing to let me go on random tangents, as well as feed me many wonderful meals. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve such an amazing family, and I love you all very much. Finally, I have to give a special thank you to all of the members of The Doll Forum. This project would not have been possible without your amazing community. ii CONTENTS Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ ii List of Images................................................................................................................................ iv Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter One: Theorizing Gender, Sexuality, and the Internet....................................................... 9 Gender and Performativity................................................................................................ 10 Regulatory Frameworks and Power.................................................................................. 18 Hegemonic Masculinity/Subordinate Femininity............................................................. 21 Normalization and Fluid Sexuality................................................................................... 24 Community and the Impact of the Internet....................................................................... 30 Concluding Remarks......................................................................................................... 36 Chapter Two: Methodological Considerations............................................................................. 37 The Doll Forum................................................................................................................. 37 The Data Set...................................................................................................................... 40 Virtual Analysis................................................................................................................ 42 Critical Discourse Analysis............................................................................................... 45 Researcher Positionality.................................................................................................... 50 Concluding Remarks......................................................................................................... 50 Chapter Three: Repeat After Me: Constructing Gender and Sexuality on The Doll Forum........ 52 Overview of The Doll Forum........................................................................................... 52 Appearance....................................................................................................................... 55 Body and Face................................................................................................................... 57 Aesthetic Customization................................................................................................... 59 Physical Customization..................................................................................................... 63 Taking Care....................................................................................................................... 66 Sexual Desire.................................................................................................................... 69 Concluding Remarks......................................................................................................... 74 Chapter Four: Relationships on The Doll Forum......................................................................... 76 Real Doll Agency and Masculine Identity........................................................................ 76 Dynamic Relationships..................................................................................................... 79 Object Relations and Plastic Subjectivity......................................................................... 82 Normalization and Fluid Sexuality................................................................................... 85 Concluding Remarks......................................................................................................... 96 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................... 98 Bibliography............................................................................................................................... 103 iii LIST OF IMAGES Image 1: ‘Real Doll Spec Sheet’................................................................................................... 56 Image 2: ‘It’s official! I can finally post pics in a thread!’........................................................... 58 Image 3: ‘The Doll Closet – Dresses’........................................................................................... 60 Image 4: ‘Lucie’s done a few more photos ... for anyone interested’........................................... 61 Image 5: ‘A Happy Accident’....................................................................................................... 63 Image 6: ‘The Doll Closet’……………………………………………………………………... 65 Image 7: ‘Real Dolls 2: The Review’........................................................................................... 66 Image 8: ‘Enjoying a day off in a busy life’................................................................................. 70 Image 9: ‘three more from Lucie’................................................................................................. 70 Image 10: ‘Gabe got a gig singing with a Pink Floyd cover band’.............................................. 71 Image 11: ‘Her name is Tamasha (RealDoll 2)’........................................................................... 92 Image 12: ‘Weena has arrived’..................................................................................................... 93 Image 13: ‘A Bud girl in a bar, a stereogram’.............................................................................. 94 iv INTRODUCTION Welcome to the exciting world of RealDoll! Since 1996, we have been using Hollywood special effects technology to produce the most realistic love doll in the world. Our dolls feature completely articulated skeletons which allow for anatomically correct positioning, an exclusive