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Country's first 'robot sex brothel' set to open in Texas prompts backlash: report
The first so-called 'robot sex brothel' in the U.S. slated to open in the Houston area this month has prompted a massive backlash from residents and activists who say it will ruin the neighborhood. The company opened its first location last year near Toronto, where $60 buys a half-hour alone with a robot sex doll, according to the Washington Examiner. The dolls start at $2,500 to buy.
Update: Houston officials halt plans to open first US 'robot brothel'
Houston city officials have ordered at least a temporary halt to a Canadian company's plan to open a so-called "robot brothel" in the city. The Houston Chronicle reported that building inspectors ordered the halt after determining that the company, Kinky S Dolls, lacked the permits required for demolition and construction at a former 2,500 sq ft hair salon in the Galleria area of the city.
takyon: Change.org petition aiming to "Keep Robot Brothels Out of Houston".
Also at ABC7.
See also: 'Robot sex brothel' slated to open is not wanted, Houston's mayor says
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 01 2018, @07:29PM (1 child)
Robot brothels threaten female privilege.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by takyon on Monday October 01 2018, @08:03PM
Sex robots won't replace all human prostitution, and won't prevent all human companionship. But it could do enough damage to both to have a big impact.
Sex robots, and robots in general, will become better in the coming decades. So at the same time that many driving, fast food, and retail jobs go extinct, prostitution will also take a hit. Many "skilled" jobs will also disappear. Less programmers will be needed. Add "AI" to services like Squarespace, and you don't need many web designers anymore. Maybe some more construction jobs will be replaced by robots, and remaining ones aren't likely to be taken by women. The ultimate fallback profession, prostitution, will become less lucrative, with more supply and less demand.
Your personal sex robot will be cheaper in the long run than paying many prostitutes (especially if you're getting this crappy $2,500 one), with no risk of STDs unless you share it, and no potential legal troubles (hopefully). We'll see how it competes with men and women on the pleasure front, after years more research into soft and... wet robotics.
What about becoming a stay-at-home wife and mother? Artificial wombs and designer babies could threaten that route, although there will be a lot more political turmoil associated with that, and probably some bans. These developments wouldn't replace all women, but maybe it does something subtle like reduce female marriages to male millionaires/billionaires by 20%. Less trophy wives obtained, less money lost through divorces. And yes, these developments could also affect the male gold diggers as well. Rich females will have access to unprecedented fertility treatments, artificial wombs instead of surrogates or giving birth themselves, "male" sex robots, etc.
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