UX #16:Why designing for the LGBTQ experience this pride month matters NOW more than ever.
I’ve lived in the gayborhood in Philadelphia for 10 years and I was shocked to see so many Philly PD take on such aggressive roles towards the evening, policing the neighborhood to the point where I couldn’t even walk outside with my dog without getting interrogated. This has never happened in the last 10 years I’ve been living here. I don’t want this to be another post that just creates division, so as a designer I think: How can members of the Gayborhood, the City of Philadelphia, and the Philly PD co-create an experience that will be beneficial for everyone the next time we celebrate Pride?
It’s tough moments like this that remind me why Pride month is so important and why we need to be loud and proud about pride every day. I’m so incredibly proud of some of the unique UX startup projects that our UX Woman alumni have created over the past year, especially folks who have chosen to focus on designing for the LGBTQ experience across a variety of different industries and topics. Our community does not shy away from meaningful causes. In fact, we choose to lean in, especially when times feel tough.
I wanted to highlight their work and achievements for pride month. Last year, Andrea created Fluid, an e-commerce thrift store experience where fashion is organized within a genderless system and users can opt into a short quiz that notes down their fashion preferences and fit so that it can make thoughtful clothing recommendations. Andrea noted that Gen Z shoppers in particular are looking for a more inclusive shopping experience, and possess a shopping power of $360B in the U.S. This makes Fluid a $61B market opportunity towards inclusive clothing and creating an e-commerce space for it. Inclusive design is just good business sense.
It was also incredible to see another UX project from our current Spring 2026 cohort around creating community-based, gender-affirming healthcare resources for HRT (hormone replacement therapy) that are vetted by folks who have successfully transitioned or are transitioning. I am also incredibly proud of one of our Fall 2025 cohort members creating Gayborhood, a social media app for the LGBTQ community where inner-circles of friends can get offline and meet up IRL in bars, cafes, clubs, event spaces, and restaurants in the city that provide safe spaces to meet.
This is why I do what I do! I want to help folks within our UX community combine their personal interests and passions with creating unique UX portfolio pieces that would impress hiring managers and recruiters in specific industries. Our cohort members pursue UX project topics in e–commerce, healthcare, social media and more– creating unique and differentiated startup MVPs that bring a new perspective to UX design, while also showcasing their mission and values.
So what’s a community that you would like to help? I’m open to working with career changers and organizations alike to design better experiences for the future. I want to use my expertise in inclusive design and universal design working for brands like Disney+, Hulu, Marvel, ABC News and more to help YOU.
My name is Samaya and I’m your UX woman. Follow our Substack to get UX design challenges delivered to your inbox! I like to spill the tea from my 10-year career in UX, working for brand names like Hulu, Marvel, Meta and more. Follow UX Woman for more UX design psychology. We’re creating a 100-day series on famous UX designs from big brands and why they work.
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