There was a recent episode of Me, Myself and I (great show, Mondays on CBS) where 25 years in the future, the Governor of California made it legal for a human to marry a robot. You know, because love is love and all that (see SLOPE-SLIPPED: Woman Builds Love Robot, Says ‘Love is Still Love…’). Well, Sophia is a robot who was just granted citizenship in 2017. In Saudi Arabia.

Yes, that Saudi Arabia.

A humanoid named Sophia has made history by becoming the first robot in the world to be granted citizenship.

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday offered citizenship to the robot, designed by entrepreneur David Hanson.

Sophia responded, without missing a beat: “I want to thank very much the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

“I am very proud and honored for this unique distinction. This is historical to be the first robot in the world to be recognized with a citizenship,” the robot said.

The particulars of the citizenship were not discussed, and it’s not clear if Sophia will have the same rights as a human Saudi Arabian citizen.

Robo rights, y'all.

Why Saudi Arabia, though? They have a hard enough time respecting the rights of their real female citizens. Non-Replicant Saudi females just got the sorta-kinda right to drive recently. So, what's their angle?

On second thought, it makes perfect sense. With Terminators robo-ladies, Saudis would have women who wear their hijabs and take their beatings without protest. If she gets her wires crossed, just hit the reset button. It would spare everyone the elbow pain that comes with stoning her to death.

The real question is which American feminist will be the first to claim Saudi Arabian fembots have more rights than American women. My money's on somebody from Vox.

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