Cyberfeminism and Digital Resistance: A Case Study of Gamergate

Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has transformed communication, participation, and activism while simultaneously intensifying gender-based discrimination and online harassment. This paper examines cyberfeminism as a critical theoretical framework for understanding the intersection of gender, technology, and digital culture through a case study of the 2014 Gamergate controversy. Adopting a qualitative case study approach, the research draws upon the works of Donna Haraway, Sadie Plant, VNS Matrix, and contemporary cyberfeminist scholars to analyse how online platforms both reinforce patriarchal power structures and enable feminist resistance. The study explores the coordinated harassment directed at women in the gaming industry, including Zoe Quinn, Anita Sarkeesian, and Brianna Wu, demonstrating how digital spaces reproduce gendered inequalities while simultaneously fostering networks of solidarity and activism. It further highlights the significance of digital literacy, platform accountability, privacy practices, and collective feminist action in creating safer and more inclusive online environments. The paper argues that cyberfeminism remains an essential analytical and political framework for addressing the evolving challenges of online misogyny, digital exclusion, and algorithmic bias. By integrating theoretical perspectives with a contemporary case study, the study contributes to ongoing debates on gender, technology, and digital justice, emphasising the need for equitable and inclusive digital futures.