Catharine MacKinnon is an influential American feminist legal scholar, activist, and professor of law. She is renowned for her groundbreaking work on sexual harassment and gender equality, pioneering the legal recognition of sexual harassment as a form of sex discrimination. MacKinnon's influential writings, including "Sexual Harassment of Working Women" (1979) and "Toward a Feminist Theory of the State" (1989), have significantly shaped feminist legal theory and contributed to advancements in women's rights both in the United States and internationally.