Trust in Queer Human-Robot Interaction

Abstract: Human-robot interaction (HRI) systems need to build trust with people of diverse identities. This position paper argues that queer (LGBTQIA+) people must be included in the design and evaluation of HRI systems to ensure their trust in and acceptance of robots. Queer people have faced discrimination and harm from artificial intelligence and robotic systems. Despite calls for increased diversity and inclusion, HRI has not systemically addressed queer issues. This paper suggests three approaches to address trust in queer HRI: diversifying human-subject pools, centering queer people in HRI studies, and contextualizing measures of trust.