In this study I am going to discuss Springer’s notions of boundary breakdowns, in which she states that ‘cyberbodies, in fact, tend to appear masculine or feminine to an exaggerated degree’ [1] . In relation to these observations I am going to apply them to an analysis of The Matrix (Wachowski Bros.- 1999), and Tron (Steven Lisberger - 1982), which, remarkably, there is no mention of in Springer’s book ‘Electric Eros, Bodies and Desire in the Postindustrial Age’, printed in 1996. I believe that, nine years down the line from her original essay, gender representations in popular cybertexts are becoming less exaggerated and are in fact verging on the androgynous. Through a comparison of these two particular films the transition from stereotypical patriarchal values of future anxieties can be broken down and reassessed for a new post-gender ideology, one that Donna Harraway [2] theorises as a liberartory concept that could free women from a patriarchal stance making genders obsolete, a notion that breaches popular theories that typify masculinity and femininity, in popular culture texts.

To further focus these interpretations I am going to refer to Jake Horsley’s essay ‘Gnosticism Reborn - The Matrix as Shamanic Journey’ in which he likens The Matrix to ‘something akin to shamanic ecstasy. It’s not just a movie; it’s an experience’ [3] . Horsley also addresses the films central theme of the threat of an AI (Artificial Intelligence) governed future, a popular theme in cybertexts, and sharing a similar theme to Tron. I then want to contrast some of these theories with other critical debates surrounding the implications of the ‘interface’ noted by popular culture critic Vivian Sobchack.