ABSTRACT
Sex and gender-diverse people often encounter designs that don’t correspond with their identities and experiences. Male/masculine and female/feminine are often the only options at clothing stores, on online forms and legal documents, in public spaces like locker rooms and bathrooms, and for products like perfumes. This can make it difficult to use products and services because it requires a choice between two options that do not apply. It can also be harmful by showing users that their experiences have not been considered and by placing them in potentially dangerous situations when entering a washroom or showing an ID card.
This case study explores how designers can work between or beyond the binaries. This includes a theoretical reflection on how designers might engage with sex and gender reference points outside strict binaries and how designers could support users whose own identities are somewhere between or beyond the binaries. The chapter provides design suggestions for the development of universal access bathrooms, digital platforms and services, imagery for communication materials, and specialized design products to support gender affirmation. Original interviews profile creatives, including acclaimed television producer Zackary Druker who took photos for the Gender Spectrum Collection, a stock photo library that shows gender-diverse people in non-stereotypical ways.
