The SexyCyborg Origin Story
June 14, 2023 4:54 PM Subscribe
Why Do I Look Like...This? The SexyCyborg Origin Story (YouTube) Naomi Wu (aka Sexy Cyborg) is "a Chinese DIY maker and internet personality [who] challenge[s] gender and tech stereotypes with a flamboyant public persona, using objectification of her appearance to inspire women" (Wikipedia). This video is her origin story, and it is deeply personal and funny and poignant and so, so eye-opening. It's 38 min. long but worth it.
If you've seen her and couldn't get past her breast implants, then this video is a must-see.
I learned so much from this video and I thank WhackyparseThis for commenting in a free thread, "Naomi 'SexyCyborg' Wu's coming out video [is] pretty amazing and emotional and more people should see it."
If you've seen her and couldn't get past her breast implants, then this video is a must-see.
I learned so much from this video and I thank WhackyparseThis for commenting in a free thread, "Naomi 'SexyCyborg' Wu's coming out video [is] pretty amazing and emotional and more people should see it."
Agreed - it was a must-watch (for me) to understanding and empathizing more with her and how she chooses to present herself. I admit having some... vestiges of sexism or whatnot at one point re: her, not understanding why she chose to... overtly display herself? It was her choice and I've no right to judge but I simply didn't understand! This video made me understand, appreciate, and even admire her courage. Well done.
posted by eschatonizer at 5:32 PM on June 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by eschatonizer at 5:32 PM on June 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
Honestly, I get most of my news about China from Naomi Wu.
posted by happyinmotion at 6:55 PM on June 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by happyinmotion at 6:55 PM on June 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
Didn't know her before, but understand her circumstances perfectly, as a Chinese-American.
posted by kschang at 8:00 PM on June 14, 2023
posted by kschang at 8:00 PM on June 14, 2023
I am in awe of that person, and I'm a lot more educated on East Asian LGBT culture and gender concepts than I was before.
Thanks for sharing!
posted by sotonohito at 8:17 PM on June 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
Thanks for sharing!
posted by sotonohito at 8:17 PM on June 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
I'm a lot more educated on YouTube's cardboardophobia too.
posted by flabdablet at 8:28 PM on June 14, 2023 [9 favorites]
So sure I've got some wiring issues, some bugs I can't patch, but I'm not hurting anyone and I’m not broken- just a little glitchy, I still run just fine. And those glitches are why I'm here and why I'm talking to you.Preach it, sister.
posted by flabdablet at 8:28 PM on June 14, 2023 [9 favorites]
Her account is probably the one I miss the most since I stopped using twitter. She's great, and a really valuable source of information I wouldn't get anywhere else.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 8:35 PM on June 14, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by vibratory manner of working at 8:35 PM on June 14, 2023 [5 favorites]
She’s a fascinating person — and it’s a great video. This piece she wrote is well worth reading as well… too bad she didn’t have a good PR person to help…
posted by thirdring at 12:42 AM on June 15, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by thirdring at 12:42 AM on June 15, 2023 [5 favorites]
I adore Naomi Wu's openness and bravery in general, and basically took her advice through most of the pandemic. Relatedly, I did not get COVID.
posted by jaduncan at 2:46 AM on June 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by jaduncan at 2:46 AM on June 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
In one of her vids she breaks down how many leech accounts repost her stuff, seemed really unfair. Her original vid gets for example 100K views and then the ripoff artist gets 500K. Something very strange and discriminatory there on the edges of racism / sexism / porn shyness or whatever is losing her a lot of YT $$$.
posted by Meatbomb at 4:19 AM on June 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by Meatbomb at 4:19 AM on June 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
Thanks so much for sharing, mpark. I'm so glad I watched this, so glad I learned a bit about the world she came from, the world she is in now.
posted by winesong at 8:31 AM on June 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by winesong at 8:31 AM on June 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
Learning about people like her has really helped me navigate my complicated feelings about my own body as a western queer person. I naturally have breasts that are about her size and have deeply mixed emotions about them as it relates to my gender or lack thereof, stuff about perception of self vs others’ perception of me, etc. A huge part of unraveling it all has been delving into the gender expressions of people all over the world and throughout history.
When I first came across toms and dees (some time in the early oughts) my first reaction was steeped in the kind of late nineties feminism that has resulted in terfs today. But I caught myself and thought on it more. Seeing dees revel in themselves reminds me to make space for myself (including the parts of myself that enter a room a little earlier, as Naomi says), and seeing people who love them reminds me that I myself am lovable. It’s not about sexual desire most of the time at all.
Learning about the different social circumstances of familial expectation, the facets of obligation and expression and opportunity, is endlessly fascinating to me. It can change the meaning of so many things just by perceiving them with increased or different context. I hope that her work can be understood in new ways by new people now that she has so eloquently provided her relevant context. Thanks for this post, mpark! I’ve seen some of her stuff before but didn’t know who she was.
posted by Mizu at 9:32 AM on June 15, 2023 [5 favorites]
When I first came across toms and dees (some time in the early oughts) my first reaction was steeped in the kind of late nineties feminism that has resulted in terfs today. But I caught myself and thought on it more. Seeing dees revel in themselves reminds me to make space for myself (including the parts of myself that enter a room a little earlier, as Naomi says), and seeing people who love them reminds me that I myself am lovable. It’s not about sexual desire most of the time at all.
Learning about the different social circumstances of familial expectation, the facets of obligation and expression and opportunity, is endlessly fascinating to me. It can change the meaning of so many things just by perceiving them with increased or different context. I hope that her work can be understood in new ways by new people now that she has so eloquently provided her relevant context. Thanks for this post, mpark! I’ve seen some of her stuff before but didn’t know who she was.
posted by Mizu at 9:32 AM on June 15, 2023 [5 favorites]
_Sex Is Not a Natural Act_ by Lenore Tiefer has the premise that sex is more like music-- alwarys culturally shaped-- rather than like a reflex.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 10:36 AM on June 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 10:36 AM on June 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
That was so informative and smart and heartfelt - I'm so glad to see she's happy and hope she continues to do whatever makes her feel more at home in her own skin.
And it's a damn shame that so many folks think having big boobs and skimpy clothing is mutually exclusive to being smart and creative.
posted by skullhead at 10:43 AM on June 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
And it's a damn shame that so many folks think having big boobs and skimpy clothing is mutually exclusive to being smart and creative.
posted by skullhead at 10:43 AM on June 15, 2023 [6 favorites]
An unfortunate update for this post. In her words, she "got her wings clipped" and won't be posting much to social media anymore. It's a real loss.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 3:56 PM on July 8, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by vibratory manner of working at 3:56 PM on July 8, 2023 [3 favorites]
Damn it. I'm glad to hear Kaidi is relatively safe. I hope they both find their bliss.
posted by seanmpuckett at 3:29 PM on July 9, 2023
posted by seanmpuckett at 3:29 PM on July 9, 2023
Damn, but thanks for the update, vmow.
posted by mpark at 10:27 AM on July 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by mpark at 10:27 AM on July 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
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posted by seanmpuckett at 5:27 PM on June 14, 2023 [4 favorites]