The Inclusive Innovation Playbook

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Exploring Diversity

Gender & Sexuality

Explore unique needs and common solutions influenced by gender and sexuality

Your experience of the world is heavily defined by the gender you are assigned at birth, which happens without your awareness or consent. Gender, and sexuality affects people’s experiences of digital products and services in many ways.

If you’ll like to better understand gender, we’d recommend you start with

The Genderbread Person.⁠

It is a fantastic resource that breaks down this complicated concept into bite-sized, digestible pieces.

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Gender and sexual identity and expression for inclusive innovation

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Common challenges

Digital products and services are often designed for the default, straight, cisgender man. As such it is important to consider the unique challenges that cisgender and heterosexual women and LGBTQIA+ people may face in order to create experiences that work for everyone.

We all have multiple identities which are all intertwined. Whilst this page focuses on gender and sexuality, it is important to take an

intersectional approach⁠

and recognise that people can be impacted differently.

For example, only considering the needs of white, middle class, neurotypical, able-bodied, straight women is not enough to address gender issues.

Cisgender Women

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Cisgender⁠

women often face challenges when accessing digital products and services that are not typically experienced by cisgender men. Some of these challenges include:

Lack of representation: they may find it difficult to identify with or relate to digital products and services that are primarily designed by and marketed to men.

This can play out in key decisions, imagery, features or content not fully meeting their needs.

This can result when female voices in the product development teams are not present or considered.

Gender-based biases and stereotypical assumptions : gender-based biases which can lead to products that are not designed for women’s needs or that perpetuate stereotypes. This could include unnecessarily gendered products such as cleaning products.

Colour schemes: Digital products often use stereotypical colours for boys and girls, such as pink for girls and blue for boys. This can reinforce gender stereotypes and limit the appeal of products to people who don't identify with those colors.

Gendered language: Digital products may use gendered language to address their users, such as "Hey guys" or "Dear sir". This can make women and nonbinary users feel excluded and create a less welcoming environment.

Default settings: Digital products often have default settings that are based on assumptions about gender. For example, fitness apps may default to male settings, assuming that men are more interested in building muscle and women in losing weight.

Gender based price discrimination: A

2015 study⁠

by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs on the cost of being a female consumer concluded that women's products are typically more expensive than men's without reasonable cause.

This is sometimes called the ‘Pink Tax’ and can apply to a range of products and services, such as:

Overcharging for essentials like tampons.

Charging more for female health products and clothes.

Overcharging women for car mechanics services.

Inadequate privacy and security: they may be more likely to experience privacy and security concerns when using digital products and services, particularly if they are dealing with sensitive personal or financial information.

In additiona this

report from Nielsen⁠

shows that women still take on the majority of household tasks, are more concerned about their financial wellbeing than men and face barriers to financial equality. The report concludes...

“For brands to succeed today, they need to find ways to address the challenges women face. In short, brands and retailers that focus more on how they can lessen the load off women’s shoulders and less on the color of their packaging will earn more dollars.”

LGBTQIA+ Communities

The term "LGBTQIA+" stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual and others. Each term represents a specific identity defined the

glossary⁠

. Each group can experience phobia which can manifest in many forms, including negative stereotypes, exclusion, discrimination, and violence. It can also have serious consequences for the mental health and well-being of individuals who experience it.

Whilst these identities are commonly grouped together and they all experience a lack of representation, it is important to consider the range of experiences and needs within these identities, which can be very different.

Transphobia and interpobia can manifest in societal and systemic barriers that prevent transgender and intersex individuals from accessing healthcare, housing, employment, and other basic rights and services. Bisexual individuals may face discrimination within both the heterosexual and LGBTQIA+ communities.

When accessing digital products and services LGBTQIA+ people may face challenges, including:

Binary-only gender options: Difficulty in self-identifying, as many online forms and profiles may only offer binary gender options or assume a person's gender based on their name or appearance.

For example, fitness apps that categorize exercises according to the gender binary exclude nonbinary individuals.

For example, online shopping experiences that separate the women’s and men’s section and don’t allow for search and browsing across sections are unwelcoming and decrease the usability for gender non-conforming individuals.

Lack of representation: Lack of representation and visibility in the language and images used in user interfaces and online communities, which can make people feel excluded and not valued.

For example, this could include an absence of gender-neutral or non-binary representations in avatars or profiles.

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Gender selection options for inclusive innovation

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Privacy and safety concerns: Systems that can out people are not safe. Personal information and online activity can reveal the identity of those who do not conform to normative ideas of gender and sexuality, putting them at risk of discrimination, harassment, or violence. Many people who identify as gay or trans may face significant challenges related to their identity, both in their online and offline life. This risk is particularly pronounced in countries where homosexuality or transgender identities are criminalised. For these individuals, maintaining their privacy and protecting their personal information can be critical to their safety and well-being.

Lack of inclusive language: The language used in digital products and services may not be inclusive of the experiences of transgender or non-binary individuals, which can create a barrier to their use and engagement. Assumptions can be made about the sex of partners which can leave people in same sex relationships feeling excluded.

Inadequate representation and visibility: Portrayal of traditional, heteronormative family units and couples as standard can leave some people feeling excluded. Same sex couples do not see themselves represented. Transgender individuals are often negatively represented or invisible in the media, which can also extend to digital products and services.

Lack of understanding: Inadequate consideration of the unique experiences, needs, and perspectives of LGBTQIA+ individuals in product and service design and development processes and a lack of understanding and sensitivity from customer service or support staff.

For example, trans people are often misgendered and

deadnamed⁠

(addressed by there pre-transition name) in everyday life, when interacting with institutions and digital products and services. Someone who is bisexual may be assumed to be heterosexual because of the gender of their partner.

Other unintended consequences: Even products that are designed with good intentions may have unintended consequences for LGBTQIA+ individuals. For example, algorithmic bias can result in the exclusion of certain groups from access to certain services or opportunities.

For example, health apps may rely on limited or inaccurate sex-related information, resulting in inadequate results for intersex and transgender people.

The enforcement of binarism and cultural cisgenderism is systemic and authoritative, it is limiting and prejudicial and leads to the invisibility of trans and intersex people. Neither sex nor gender are binary. Society and culture create binaries, which do not fit everyone.

⁠

Feedback please⁠

: Let us know what other challenges people face because of their gender or sexuality.

Inclusive solutions

Products reflect their creators. They can mirror their biases, beliefs and exhibit their views. It's important for digital product and service creators to be aware of their own biases, and common challenges faced by a range of people in order to actively work to create more inclusive experiences, that work for people of all genders.

Addressing these challenges requires a commitment to inclusive design and a willingness to engage in ongoing conversation and collaboration with a diverse range of users.

Bringing a gender-sensitive approach to the act of designing something means acknowledging that technology is as biased as the humans who develop it are, hence it can (and it does!) reinforce oppression. Products that do not intentionally include can end up discriminating against already marginalised identities. Gender-inclusive design is about intentionally designing and implementing solutions that result in experiences that include people of all genders, especially marginalised ones.

Here are some ideas to help you create solutions that are inclusive for all genders and sexualities.

Normalise gender and sexuality diversity: Represent, reflect and normalise gender diversity of your users in all you do. Reflect different genders, sexualities, family units and allow for non-disclosure and fluidity. Gender and sexuality diversity in your internal teams will help you do this.

For example, this

advert⁠

from Gillette (2019) shows a father teaching his trans son to shave for the first time.

For example, giving positive reinforcement when a user asks the digital assistant for its pronouns is also a way of normalising sharing pronouns.

Consider the impact of gender bias in language and imagery: Gender bias in language and imagery can perpetuate stereotypes and make digital products and services less inclusive for women, non-binary, and transgender people. This can include using gender-neutral language and imagery, avoiding stereotypes and harmful representations, and providing options for users to select or self define their pronouns. Avoid using unnecessarily gendered language in product design and marketing materials, and instead use inclusive terms such as "they" instead of "he" or "she".

Incorporate gender-specific health and safety concerns: Women, non-binary, and transgender people may have specific health and safety concerns that need to be considered when designing and developing digital products and services. This can include incorporating privacy and security features such as end-to-end encryption for digital health apps, protecting information about identity, ensuring that individuals have control over their personal information, or providing options for users to report and flag content that may be harmful or triggering.

For example, consider this empowering solution from

Mastercard⁠

that allows users to use their True Name.

Transgender true name vs dead name for inclusive innovation

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Consider gender diversity in user research:

Gather data⁠

from a diverse range of people including those who identify as non-binary or transgender, in order to understand their unique experiences and needs. Make sure researchers know how to minimise the risk of bringing their own biased understanding of gender to the data analysis. This can help to ensure that products are designed in a way that is inclusive for everyone.

Offer customisation options: Allow users to customise their experience, such as the possibility of selecting their correct gender identity, titles or pronouns, to help create a more inclusive product experience. Offer users the possibility to opt out of certain types of content or features that may be triggering or otherwise unwanted.

For example, LinkedIn allows users to define their pronouns. This reduces friction for users who are often misgendered and normalises sharing pronouns for everyone.

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Gender pronouns for inclusive innovation

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Incorporate diverse perspectives in product design: Encourage diverse perspectives on your product design team, and actively seek feedback from those who have different experiences, including those from different gender identities.

Consider different body types: Design products that are comfortable and functional for people of different body types. This could include designing clothing with adjustable waistlines or creating products that are designed to fit a range of body shapes.

Provide education and training: Make sure that your team is knowledgeable about gender diversity and the unique experiences of people who identify as non-binary or transgender. Encourage them to attend workshops or training sessions to learn more and challenge preconceived ideas of gender and sexuality.

By following these practices and prioritising the needs of users of marginalised gender identities and sexualities, product innovators can create products that are more inclusive and help to break down barriers that limit access and usage for them.

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Feedback please⁠

: Let us know what other inclusive solutions we should include.

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