“In My Safe Space”: Social Support for LGBTQ Users in Social Virtual Reality

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) has long been an important research focus in HCI since the 1960s. In the past five years, we have seen a more pronounced rise of VR, especially social VR. In particular, social VR is becoming increasingly popular within the LGBTQ community. Yet, little research explores how LGBTQ users participate in social VR and how social VR has potential to support them by affording a range of inclusive interactions. Based on eight interviews and two months of participatory observations, in this paper we report findings of our preliminary study of LGBTQ users’ engagement in social VR, especially regarding how social VR may afford social support for these users. Our study contributes to better understanding the nuanced experiences of LGBTQ users in social VR so as to create more inclusive and safe social VR spaces for all.