Imagining Together: Sexual & Reproductive Futures
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Date
2023-08
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Ohio State University. Department of Design
Abstract
Sexual and reproductive experiences, often unacknowledged or unspoken, exert a profound influence on various aspects of life, including relationships, careers, and the shape of our mutual futures, particularly for individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB). This research endeavors to explore the transformative potential that emerges when AFAB individuals are granted agency to speculate on the future; imagining, provoking, and dreaming into what could be.
The study combined co-design and speculative design approaches to structure collaborative group sessions, during which study participants ultimately created 24 artifacts from the future related to contraception, sexual pleasure, and menstrual cycles; artifacts evidence participants' expressed perspectives on near and far futures. The study also involved focus groups to determine how to share the artifacts, considering questions like who should be invited, how should the artifacts be presented, and what is our intention in sharing?
By embracing qualitative research methods, this study delves deep into the nuanced aspects of participants' dreams and fears about the future. The findings emphasize the significance of co-design and speculative design as complementary approaches in design research. They also highlight the capacity of AFAB individuals to imagine diverse and impactful futures beyond what currently exists. The conclusions drawn from this study call for further investigations into the synergistic potential of co-design and speculative design, contributing to a deeper understanding of the role of imagination in shaping future possibilities, particularly for complex, sensitive topics such as sexual and reproductive experiences.
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Keywords
inclusive language, futures, speculative design, co-design, participatory design, sexual and reproductive health, sexual and reproductive futures, AFAB, assigned female at birth, women, queer, sexual pleasure, contraception, birth control, menstrual cycles, artifact