Kaitlynn Mendes, Professor

Canada Research Chair in Inequality and Gender
PhD, Journalism Studies, Cardiff University

Kaitlynn Mendes is a sociologist who studies how media, technology, and society shape gender inequality. Her research and teaching are grounded in an intersectional feminist approach, with a focus on understanding how different forms of inequality overlap and affect people’s everyday lives. She uses mixed methods to examine how digital technologies can both enable harm—such as online abuse, harassment, and sexual violence—and support activism that challenges sexism and rape culture. Her work highlights how people, especially young people, use digital platforms to push for social change. Kaitlynn’s research has helped inform public conversations, policy, and practice around gender inequality in the digital age. She is the Principal Investigator of the five-year SSHRC-funded project DIY Digital Safety and Director of the Gender, Equity, Media, and Society (GEMS) Research Lab.