Come la tecnologia controlla il corpo delle donne

What are the hidden sides of 'gender technologies' such as the contraceptive pill, pregnancy test or ultrasound? All these devices have certainly promoted emancipation and liberation from the constraints of 'nature'. Yet, they have also opened the doors to new and more subtle forms of violence and discrimination. One of the most original intellectuals of the new generation, scientist and feminist, tells us about the most controversial aspects of these technologies and invites us to reflect on their cultural and political meaning. Technologies such as the contraceptive pill, pregnancy tests, ultrasound scans and period tracking apps have radically transformed women's relationship with their bodies. They have guaranteed ever greater emancipation, promoting reproductive self-determination and freeing us from the constraints imposed by 'nature'. However, it is a technological progress that has also shown oppressive consequences: from the side effects of synthetic hormones, which are still little known, to the control of fertility in the most fragile populations; from the use of ultrasound as a weapon of anti-abortion propaganda to the monetization of sensitive personal data. Every time the female body has opened itself up to the investigation of the scientific gaze, it has run the risk of being objectified. Far from being neutral tools, these devices are unable to free themselves from the traces of the patriarchal culture that produced them: behind their promises of emancipation they hide the ability to exercise increasingly widespread control over women's private lives.