En/Gendering Dystopia: The Performance of Torture at Guantanamo Bay Prison

In the post 9–11 era, the war on terrorism hastened the questionable practice of detaining alleged terrorists in confinement sites such as Guantanamo Bay. These mainly Muslim male detainees underwent interrogation by female agents with the intent to inflict suffering to gain covert information. Female agents used torture tactics by exploiting their sexuality, showing gender-specific undergarments, menstrual blood, and sexualized body taunts, all in opposition to detainees Islamic beliefs as interpreted by the Qur’an. This essay explores the role of sexuality and torture as performance strategy arguing that such practices move the U.S. closer to a dystopian society. [From the Publisher]