It may not seem like it when you glance at your Roomba, but robots are influencing gender roles, family, and even religion.  From Rosie to RoboCop, robots and gender have a connection in both science fiction and reality.  “Female” robots are often small, with almond shaped eyes and light colors, while “male” robots are burly, with angular shoulders and jaws.  Their jobs are different too.  “Female” robots often show up in hospitality and interactions with children or the elderly, while “male” robots are seen in security or military applications.  With these pronounced differences, these robots are reinforcing gender stereotyping in society.

SparkDialog podcast, episode 51. Oct. 2nd, 2018.