Feminists (globalisation)

• Haraway

  • Women should try occupy every digital space they can as a solution to patriarchal oppression.  
  • Agricultural and industrial revolutions did not benefit women - if they don’t embrace technology then they will be sidelined again 
  • Women need to be at the decision table in tech offices to stop it developing in a ‘masculine’ way 
  • New technology can free us from traditional thinking - Cyborgs are non-binary so could be liberating.  
• Ebert, a Marxist, criticises Haraway's theory for being oversimplified. She underestimates the power of the ruling class, patriarchy is used to maintain capitalism by dividing the proletariat. Haraway has been criticised for her cyborg idea, but maintains that she meant it metaphorically, not as a practical solution.
• Fourth Wave Feminism 2000-2010

  • Emphasised the importance of technology in feminism
  • Allowed for women to organise and share - e.g. #MeToo, Mumsnet, The Everyday Sexism Project.
• Nakamura

  • Women from ethnic minorities have successfully used the internet for jobs and networking.
• Laura Bates

  • Started The Everyday Sexism Project that allowed women online to share their experiences of sexual harassment
  • Aims to prove that sexism and inequality still exists
• Walter

  • Sexualised presentation of women online
  • The most frequently googled term of all time is 'porn'
  • Leads to men having an unrealistic expectation of women which leads to lower self-esteem in young women.
• Examples of the sexualisation of women online (Walter)

  Call of Duty - women are prostitutes that can be killed

  Ratemygirlfriend.com
• Sarkeesian

  • Gaming is a very male dominated genre which sexualizes, objectifies, and trivializes women. 
  • Very little clothes, portrayed as sex objects, and normalises violence against women.  
  • Promote traditional or retrograde roles for women 
  • After publishing she received rape and death threats.  
• Examples of sexualisation of women in gaming

  Grand Theft Auto shows women as prostitutes and many other games, including Mario Kart, shows them as ‘damsel in distress’  
• Arlaccki

  • Government's failure to police and regulate the internet has allowed patriarchal oppression to continue online.
  • Access to pornography has led the greater objectification of women.
  • The internet has facilitated a rise in human trafficking.
• Stopthetraffic.org


  In 2019, 71% of trafficking victims worldwide were women and girls.
• Criado-Perez

  Gender gaps in technology:

  • Siri could find Viagra and prostitutes but not abortions, and could help with heart attacks but not rape 
  • Apple health app neglected to include period tracking  
  • Smartwatches and VR headsets too big for women  
  • Map apps look for quickest route instead of safest  
  • Top cause of foetal death is car crashes yet no seat belt for pregnant women has been designed