Abstract:  This article explores the potential of new, immersive realities to convey the complex experiences of gender dysphoria and body dissatisfaction, using the innovative and multi-award-winning experience Body of Mine as a case study. Recognizing a gap in understanding and empathy towards gender-queer communities, Body of Mine employs an innovative full-body tracking solution to place users into the body of someone else, combined with first-person documentary interviews and interactive elements aimed at fostering a deeper connection and insight into the transgender experience. Initial feedback from users indicates a heightened awareness and emotional connection to the challenges faced by individuals with gender dysphoria, as well as an increase in self-body positivity, based on a study conducted in collaboration with the University of Tübingen’s Department of Psychology. This project underscores the power of immersive storytelling in fostering embodied understanding, while also acknowledging the ethical complexities and voyeuristic risks when sharing narratives from vulnerable communities, and explores innovative methods for tackling social issues through emerging technology. It concludes by contemplating the implications of immersive technologies for the concept of identity in a world that increasingly transcends the physical body, suggesting a future where the notion of self is not confined to physical form but is fluid, multifaceted, and continually redefined within boundless digital horizons.

Keywords:  embodiment; gender dysphoria; identity; immersive; interactive media; LGBTQ+; storytelling; technology; transgender; virtual reality

Published:   28 October 2024

Issue:   Vol 12 (2024): The Many Dimensions of Us: Harnessing Immersive Technologies to Communicate the Complexity of Human Experiences (In Progress)