Abstract
Cisgender employees play a crucial role in shaping workplace inclusion efforts for their transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) colleagues in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The current study aimed to explore how cisgender young adults perceive policies and practices that are central to improving TGD inclusion in the Australian STEM workplace. We conducted a series of simulated, semi-structured interviews in virtual reality, during which cisgender participants (N = 81) embodied transgender or cisgender virtual avatars and interacted with a transgender virtual interviewer. Our thematic analysis explores patterns of meaning across participant responses targeting equity, diversity, and inclusion, allyship, and gender identity. Resulting themes suggest different levels of engagement with TGD inclusion, highlighting the influence of contemporary discourses on acknowledgment of TGD rights and resistance to changing a cisgender-heteronormative status quo. We classify achievements, challenges, and areas for intervention that highlight gaps between symbolic progress and genuine inclusion. Tokenistic actions appear progressive but fail to address systemic inequities, while informed inclusion requires cultural shifts toward challenging gender essentialism and embracing TGD lived experience at work. We discuss how virtual reality simulations can be applied to address these challenges and enable more inclusive considerations of TGD identities in the STEM workplace.
Public significance statement
This study explores how Australian young adults perceive transgender inclusion in STEM using virtual reality interviews. Our thematic analysis reveals gaps between symbolic progress and meaningful change, with public discourse shaping attitudes toward transgender rights. The findings highlight opportunities for policymakers in STEM to capitalize on innovation and technology using virtual reality education to improve the inclusion of gender diverse people at work.