1. Denae Ford, Reed Milewicz, Alexander Serebrenik@DenaeFordRobin
How Remote Work Can Foster a More Inclusive
Environment for Transgender Developers
y

2. [Groskopf, 2017] [Stack Overflow 2018 Developer Survey]

3. [Groskopf, 2017] [Stack Overflow 2018 Developer Survey]
Creative space for independent work

4. [Groskopf, 2017] [Stack Overflow 2018 Developer Survey]
Fosters autonomy
Creative space for independent work

5. [Groskopf, 2017] [Stack Overflow 2018 Developer Survey]

6. [Groskopf, 2017] [Stack Overflow 2018 Developer Survey]
More software
developers are working
remotely

7. We claim that…
4
Remote work offers a mechanism of
control for identity disclosure and
empowerment of software developers
from marginalized communities.

8. Transgender refers to…
5
“people who move away from the gender they
were assigned at birth, people who cross over
(trans-) the boundaries constructed by their
culture to define and contain that gender”
[Stryker, 2008]

9. Transgender refers to…
5
“people who move away from the gender they
were assigned at birth, people who cross over
(trans-) the boundaries constructed by their
culture to define and contain that gender”
[Stryker, 2008]

10. Why Trans Devs?
6
[Vasilescu, 2015] [Ford, 2016][Meerwijk, 2017] [Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 2018]

11. Why Trans Devs?
6
Previously “not enough data” to analyze beyond binary gender
[Vasilescu, 2015] [Ford, 2016][Meerwijk, 2017] [Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 2018]

12. Why Trans Devs?
6
.7% of SE= 2 x the US population of trans people
Previously “not enough data” to analyze beyond binary gender
[Vasilescu, 2015] [Ford, 2016][Meerwijk, 2017] [Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 2018]

13. Why Trans Devs?
6
This narrative is missing
.7% of SE= 2 x the US population of trans people
Previously “not enough data” to analyze beyond binary gender
[Vasilescu, 2015] [Ford, 2016][Meerwijk, 2017] [Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 2018]

14. Approach
7

15. Approach
7
Semi-Structured Interviews

16. Approach
7
Semi-Structured Interviews
Interview Topics
Professional Identity Management
Platform specific barriers
Online safety
Perceptions of inclusion
3 Trans Software Engineers

17. Approach
7
Semi-Structured Interviews
Interview Topics
Professional Identity Management
Platform specific barriers
Online safety
Perceptions of inclusion
3 Trans Software Engineers
Reviewed Recordings

18. Approach
7
Semi-Structured Interviews
Interview Topics
Professional Identity Management
Platform specific barriers
Online safety
Perceptions of inclusion
3 Trans Software Engineers
Reviewed Recordings
Compared Themes

19. Preliminary Findings
8

20. Identity Disclosure
9
“Stack Overflow has constrained
expressions of identity. It’s up to you
what content you want to fill in. GitHub
for a while it was required you expose
your email address to the rest of the
world.”

21. Identity Disclosure
9
“Stack Overflow has constrained
expressions of identity. It’s up to you
what content you want to fill in. GitHub
for a while it was required you expose
your email address to the rest of the
world.”
The desire to be seen as
presented

22. Identity Disclosure
10
“The obvious drawback of not being
passable is that you become an instant
target. So passability is not only an identity
goal, its also a mean of self-
preservation.”
[Petrzuzalek, 2018]

23. Economically Stable Work
11 [www.bountysource.com]

24. Economically Stable Work
12 www.bountysource.com
“You cannot tell from my
technical profiles that Im
transgender. I don’t make a big deal
that in professional context. It’s just
not relevant.”

25. Economically Stable Work
12 www.bountysource.com
“You cannot tell from my
technical profiles that Im
transgender. I don’t make a big deal
that in professional context. It’s just
not relevant.”
Distance technical merits
from personal identity

26. Economically Stable Work
13 www.bountysource.com
“Technology has totally leveled the
playing field for someone like me. I can
get on the internet and watch tutorials. I have
the drive to spend five hours a day to
teach myself a skill.”
[Rowley, 2015]

27. Autonomy to Disengage or Re-engage
14
“When [organizations] say
[they] have safe space and don’t
take the steps to truly make the space
safe…You have now encouraged these
people to be vulnerable where their
safety is compromised. It’s a
very dangerous trend.”

28. 15
“When [organizations] say
[they] have safe space and don’t
take the steps to truly make the space
safe. You have now encouraged these
people to be vulnerable where their
safety is compromised. It’s a
very dangerous trend.”
Autonomy to Disengage or Re-engage
[transhack.org]

29. Autonomy to Disengage or Re-engage
16
“The Internet, with all
its problems and all its flaws,
has reminded me that I do have a
voice. Without it, I know I’d continue
suffering in silence. More than that, it’s
brought me the single most invaluable
resource for dealing with these
problems: my friends. Because of
them, I don’t have to deal with
these things alone.”
[Lachenal, 2014]

30. Discussion + Future Work
17

31. Modeling the Gender Spectrum
Currently missing the nuance
dialogue of marginalized
communities
18

32. Modeling the Gender Spectrum
Currently missing the nuance
dialogue of marginalized
communities
18
Equity-forward design process

33. Modeling the Gender Spectrum
Currently missing the nuance
dialogue of marginalized
communities
18
We need conceptual models
to understand differences
within the idea of marginalized
groups
Equity-forward design process

34. Understanding Depth in Diversity of
Contributions
19
Empirical studies can reveal dimensions in every-day software practices
[Filippova, 2017] [Choi, 2015]

35. Understanding Depth in Diversity of
Contributions
19
Empirical studies can reveal dimensions in every-day software practices
Brainstorming
[Filippova, 2017] [Choi, 2015]

36. Understanding Depth in Diversity of
Contributions
19
Empirical studies can reveal dimensions in every-day software practices
Brainstorming Paired-Programming
[Filippova, 2017] [Choi, 2015]

37. Understanding Depth in Diversity of
Contributions
19
Empirical studies can reveal dimensions in every-day software practices
Brainstorming Paired-Programming Dissemination of Code
[Filippova, 2017] [Choi, 2015]

38. Building Inclusive Socio-technical
Communities
Social media offers transition
machinery.
20
[Haimson, 2018]

39. Building Inclusive Socio-technical
Communities
Social media offers transition
machinery.
20
What does that look like in the
professional dev community?
[Haimson, 2018]

40. Building Inclusive Socio-technical
Communities
Social media offers transition
machinery.
20
What does that look like in the
professional dev community?
[Haimson, 2018]

41. @DenaeFordRobin
Summary
The interplay of gender identity and remote work technologies offer
transgender developers more control over workplace interactions.
The technology software engineers develop and use can empower
and encourage the participation of marginalized communities.
Software Engineering researchers and practitioners should consider
equity-forward design.
21

42. @DenaeFordRobin
Thank You!
The interplay of gender identity and remote work technologies offer
transgender developers more control over workplace interactions.
The technology software engineers develop and use can empower
and encourage the participation of marginalized communities.
Software Engineering researchers and practitioners should consider
equity-forward design.
22
Paper: http://bit.ly/RemoteWorkPaper