  One way to do this is to show how certain women philosophers made  significant contributions to the work of male philosophers on central  philosophical issues.  We could call this the “Best Supporting  Actress” approach in that the central cast remains male and the story  line of philosophy is undisturbed.  It is a good strategy for several  reasons:  it is relatively easy to accomplish, and it provides an  internal anchor for women philosophers.  On the other hand, it  reinforces the secondary status of women thinkers and if this were  the only way of integrating women philosophers, that would be an  unfortunate result.  The wholly inadequate interpretation of   Beauvoir's philosophical thought as a mere application of  Jean-Paul  Sartre's is a good example of the limitations of this strategy.  Not  only does is reinforce a secondary, handmaiden role for Beauvoir,  but it also promotes a distorted understanding and appreciation of  her thought (Simons 1995).