Technology and gender equality

Gender in/equality and technology are deeply intertwined, with strides for gender equality often significantly influenced by technological developments. This chapter provides a historical and philosophical examination of the relation between gender and technology, examining a series of historical cases of technological developments (the bicycle, the oral contraceptive pill, and social media) that have impacted gender equality and related intersectional structures. Applying a feminist perspective on technology, the chapter questions the notion that general patterns can be inferred from historical cases, arguing instead that the gender-technology relationship is dependent on context. Technology is neither inherently liberatory nor oppressive; indeed, as seen in this chapter, the same technology can be both.