As we enter the nascency of Web3, we’re able to take stock of how the history of technology has gatekept groups of people from participating in its evolution, limiting the ingenuity that comes from diverse points of view tackling the same problems. Inclusion isn’t just an altruistic goal, but one that advances our ability to find solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.
Since Web3’s major value proposition is democratizing ownership models, it’s important that the creators of this emerging technology are representative of those who it will be built to include. Learning from Web2’s exclusionary hierarchies will inform how we can co-create professional and recreational communities that are inclusive, transferring technical and non-technical talent to the forefront of the internet’s next act.
The development and advancement of queer communities throughout history offer a framework for how we can make the future of the internet more accessible to all.
Inclusion starts with language
Historically, queer communities created secret languages, like Polari in England or Pajubá in Brazil, to communicate with one another and avoid persecution in places where homosexuality was a punishable offense. Language was a form of protection.
As queerness has become more acknowledged and accepted in society, language became an important tool not only for self-protection but also for self-expression. Unfortunately, technology has not kept pace with this sociolinguistic transformation. A lack of diversity among software developers has led to the exclusion of the queer experience when building new technology.
For example, nonbinary and trans identities have historically not been prioritized in software development, which has weaponized language against those groups in the form of restrictive self-identification options and deadnaming. Though conversations around gender identity, like the use of pronouns, are becoming more mainstream, we nevertheless have to continue to advocate for representative teams and leadership in order to make sure this process continues.
It doesn’t stop at inclusive language. There must also be accessible entry points to learn the language of Web3. Serif, an NFT-based global members club for LGBTQ+ leaders and creators, is an example of a community at the forefront of queer inclusivity. They provide a free concierge service to anyone who needs support during the minting process, and they’ve doubled down on education to ensure their community understands the vocabulary of this space and has the opportunity to learn in a safe environment.
Queer visibility is crucial
Hugh Ryan, renowned historian and author of When Brooklyn Was Queer, explains that urbanization was central to the growth of queer communities. Cities gave queer desire and cross-gender identities visibility as well as spaces to find one another.
The introduction of the internet increased this process nearly exponentially, as finding a community was freed from geography by a search bar. Ryan asserts that technology offered the opportunity to explore identities that have not been fully explored or that are not inside the sexual orientation binary. This cultural shift, as he puts it, “revolutionizes our understanding of ourselves.” Consequently, technology enabled nuance around identity to become more accessible, visible and eventually more mainstream.
There are now dedicated DAO and NFT projects that celebrate LGBTQ+ identity through founding doctrine, leadership and the larger workforce. Web3 projects like BFF and Hug.xyz prioritize inclusivity as central to the way they operate, both employing and celebrating queer talent. Further LGBTQ+ visibility will help invite more queer people into Web3.
Build from the bottom up
Web3 is all about recalibrating creator economies and ownership models from top-down to bottom-up. This should also be the strategy when considering the agency of new technology. Create software for those who have the greatest needs, not the least. By building from the bottom up, Web3 projects focus on including those who’ve historically been gatekept or negatively impacted by Web2.
When asked about the importance of including queer people within Web3, Serif’s co-founder and CEO Brian Tran mentioned the contributions of mathematician Alan Turing and activist Marsha P. Johnson, explaining, “We have historically been at the forefront of technology and culture but have not had the recognition or benefit of the upside.” Co-founder and CTO David Stevens cited important cultural and technical considerations that need to happen to make web3 more inclusive, like privacy components to the blockchain, price accessibility and safety around language.
There’s considerable work to do. Chainalysis found that 9% of NFT owners hold 80% of the value of the market. This means that in the $41 billion NFT market, only a small group was able to participate and benefit from the meteoric wealth creation in space.
Because we’re at the frontier of this emerging technology, we have the opportunity to ensure inclusion is central to innovation. When we consider language, visibility and technical accessibility, we’re able to build a more equitable future for the internet.
This article is part of a special Voice series, Proud Voices: How the LGBTQ+ Community Is Choosing Resilience, intended to educate marketers on what they can learn from the culture about authenticity and pride.
