Westworld and overcoming of traditional gender dualisms: Is feminism really for everybody or just for female androids?

Abstract

The focus of this article is the science fiction series Westworld (2016, 2018, 2020), inspired by the film of the same name from 1973 (Crichton). In the modern version of Westworld, the dominant characters are Dolores and Maeve, female androids, and the narrative is centred on their awakening and emancipation. The feminist turn may positively indicate the transformations that occurred in the society of the spectacle. Back in 1973, gender-based stereotyping of women was still a firm division point between acceptable female roles of a good and obedient daughter, a faithful wife or a self-sacrificing mother and unacceptable roles of sexually promiscuous rebels and prostitutes. However, Dolores is both a good daughter and a rebel/killer, and Maeve is a prostitute and a self-sacrificing mother. These roles are not evaluated, which suggests that the series overcome the traditional gender dualisms. Unlike female androids, such a change is not visible in the characterization of other female or male human characters. Analysis of the Westworld series is presented through radical feminist lenses and questions whether Westworld’s feminism is really for everybody.