Work

Trans Data: A Research and Design Agenda from Trans Activists' Transformative Data Science

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Trans activists play a deeply important role in caring for and advocating for the transgender community using data. Through an interview study with 16 trans activists working in trans-led and trans-serving organizations in the United States, we document how they use restorative/transformative data science processes of resolving, researching, recording, and refusing and using data. We incorporate their data practices with trans technology and trans competent interaction design approaches to propose a research agenda for trans data : materially improve trans lives, cross data boundaries, and constantly engage in power analysis. We expound on how a trans data research agenda can benefit data advocacy and CSCW research and design.

Source: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction

DOI: 10.1145/3757682

Authors: Amelia Lee Doğan, Nikko Stevens, Catherine D'Ignazio

Institutions: University of Washington, Smith College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Ethics and Social Impacts of AI

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: National Science Foundation