Dream the Dream: Futuring Communication between LGBTQ+ and Cisgender Groups in Metaverse

TL;DR

This paper explores how participatory design workshops in the Metaverse can identify barriers and create inclusive, equitable communication strategies between LGBTQ+ and cisgender groups, emphasizing spatial cues and power dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a participatory, speculative approach to reimagining inclusive communication in the Metaverse, highlighting design principles for addressing power and spatial challenges.

Findings

Identified key barriers to cross-group communication in virtual spaces.

Proposed inclusive design opportunities for the Metaverse.

Outlined principles for addressing power dynamics in digital environments.

Abstract

Digital platforms frequently reproduce heteronormative norms and structural biases, limiting inclusive communication between LGBTQ+ and cisgender individuals. The Metaverse, with its affordances for identity fluidity, presence, and community governance, offers a promising site for reimagining such interactions. To investigate this potential, we conducted participatory design workshops involving LGBTQ+ and cisgender participants, situating them in speculative Metaverse contexts to surface barriers and co-create alternative futures. The workshops followed a three-phase process-identifying challenges, speculative problem-solving, and visualizing futures-yielding socio-spatial-technical solutions across four layers: activity, interaction, scene, and space. These findings highlight the importance of spatial cues and power dynamics in shaping digital encounters. We contribute by (1) articulating challenges of cross-group communication in virtual environments, (2) proposing inclusive design opportunities for the Metaverse, and (3) advancing principles for addressing power geometry in digital space. This work demonstrates futuring as a critical strategy for designing equitable, transformative communication infrastructures.