Intimacy Chatbot

I created this chatbot to discuss people's need for intimacy. I have given the chatbot the image of a non-organic organism, so that the user does not substitute it for a human being with a specific gender. I attempt to help people gain a better understanding of the importance of being straightforward about their need for intimacy to their emotions through a fixed question and answer format.

This idea comes from my own experience and social observations. There are times when I shy away from expressing my need for intimacy in a relationship and turn to other ways of seeking emotional satisfaction. And I have found that this is not just me, but many people of all gender identities experience such a phenomenon in a relationship of their own, especially in the straight man community. When a straight man wants a psychological fix, he might need to find someone to cuddle with and talk to about it. But they usually don't do that.

After reviewing the literature, I believe that this phenomenon can be attributed to people's obedience to 'social expectations'. The ‘social expectations’ of males in this patriarchal society include ‘masculinity’. The term 'masculinity' has a strong patriarchal undertone, crystallizing male behavior and appearance altogether. E.H. Thompson(1986) refers to 'toxic masculinity' in The structure of male role norms and summarizes it into three core concepts: toughness, antifeminity, power. The straight man community has been indoctrinated by society to be strong and not express their vulnerability and so on, leading them not to express their emotions to others. This forces them to digest their emotions or seek solace in disguise through sexuality. The straight man community has been indoctrinated by society to be strong and not express their vulnerability and so on, leading them not to express their emotions to others. This makes them prefer to digest their emotions rather than receive psychological services(Yousaf, O.,et al.,2015) when they are on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

I have included many introductions to intimacy in my chatbot and have given users many ways to gain and build intimacy. This allows users, especially the straight man community, to get a proper perspective on their demand for intimacy. In The Second Sex, Beauvoir(1949) says that 'Women are not born, they are made'. By the same token, men are not born. Men need to break free from the monolithic sexual expectations of a patriarchal society and the constraints of a male-dominated gender culture. Feminist voices can push men on the side to make changes, for their own sake. And feminism can help straight men to better liberate themselves emotionally and understand their need for intimacy.

Reference

[1] Thompson, E.H., Pleck, J.H.(1986). The structure of male role norms. American

Behavioral Scientist.

[2] Yousaf, O., Popat, A., & Hunter, M. S. (2015). An investigation of masculinity attitudes,

gender, and attitudes toward psychological help-seeking. APA Division.

[3] Beauvoir, S.(1949). The Second Sex. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.