Author(s)

J. Morahan-Martin

Abstract

The Internet has been used to promote women’s causes and has been a tool of women’s empowerment while also being used against women’s causes and to victimize women. This paper explores the contradictory impact of the Internet on women. It first explores how women have engaged in political activism online to promote women’s causes and how this has led to a sense of empowerment on an individual and group level. It then explores how online political activism of hate groups and anti-feminist men’s activists has worked against women’s interests. Finally, it explores how women’s online presence has resulted in their being subject to online harassment. Keywords: gender, women, Internet, political activism, hate groups, feminism, men’s activism, women’s activism, online harassment. 1 Introduction The Internet has empowered women while also being a vehicle of oppression which has

Keywords