The Vulnerable Posthuman: The Existential Crisis in Taiwanese Queer Science Fiction

This essay examines the portrayal of posthuman vulnerability in Taiwanese queer science fiction (SF), focusing on works by Chi Ta-wei (紀大偉, 1972-) and Hong Ling (洪凌, 1971-). Through the lens of posthuman studies that emphasize corporeality and materiality, this essay argues that Taiwanese queer SF offers a nuanced understanding of posthumanism by depicting the paradox of empowerment and precarity faced by queer subjects in digitalized and commodified worlds. Rather than framing queerness solely as an act of resistance, the essay reveals how queer subjects are shaped and often constrained by technological environments, where they encounter existential crises, fractured memories, and destabilized identities. This perspective addresses gaps in current queer posthumanism by highlighting the intersections of queerness, technology, and vulnerability in ways that challenge the typical liberatory narratives. Additionally, this essay broadens the discussions on posthuman vulnerability. Research on what renders posthuman subjects vulnerable has focused on how ecological environments can permeate their corporeal boundaries. This essay, by contrast, expands the scope of permeability into technological worlds. Additionally, by focusing on technological materiality that is often overlooked by existing Taiwanese queer SF research, this paper reveals the contemporary relevance of these novels, which emerged in the context of 1990s Taiwan, to the contemporary technological society. Ultimately, this essay suggests that future research could expand on this framework by investigating similar themes in other cultural contexts and exploring how ongoing advancements in technology continue to reshape the contours of queer identity and posthuman vulnerability.