Designing an equitable future: Dr Sarah Elsie Baker’s feminist toolkit for change

Dr Baker has spent over a decade exploring the intersection of gender, equity and design. Her book, Designing Gender: A Feminist Toolkit, is an important contribution, equipping designers with practical tools to address gender-related challenges and create more inclusive practices. 

Bridging gender theory and design practice 

Dr Baker’s journey began with a gap she noticed in her teaching: while gender theory was well-established academically, its application in design practice was limited. 

“I’ve always taught elements of gender in design,” she explains, “but there was no real connection between gender theory and design practice. This book is my attempt to bridge that gap.” 

Designing Gender: A Feminist Toolkit merges academic insights with real-world design exercises, offering designers a practical framework to apply feminist theory and gender equity principles. 

The historical gap in gender-focused design 

Dr Baker highlights a key historical gap in gender-focused design studies. While gender design research thrived in the 1980s, it lost momentum in subsequent decades. 

“The work in the mid-80s celebrated women’s contributions to design,” Dr Baker notes, “but today we need to think about gender through an intersectional lens.” 

Her research calls for a reimagining of gender equity in design, addressing the diverse experiences of gender, race, class and sexuality. The toolkit empowers designers to challenge existing norms and adopt more inclusive practices. 

Intersectionality and global perspectives 

A cornerstone of Dr Baker’s work is intersectionality—the idea that gender cannot be understood in isolation but must be considered alongside race, class and sexuality. This approach enables designers to rethink their practices and tackle systemic issues. 

Dr Baker also explores the experiences of non-binary and trans individuals in design, an area often overlooked. “Globally, there’s hardly any work on that,” she observes, underscoring the need to expand the conversation. 

Her research includes perspectives from Indigenous communities and the global South. “The experience of gender is quite different globally,” she explains. “In places like South Korea, the intense work ethic and societal pressures on women are immense.” 

This global, inclusive approach reinforces the need for culturally nuanced solutions rather than one-size-fits-all answers. 

Masculinity, work culture and gender justice 

Dr Baker also investigates how dominant masculinities shape the design industry’s work culture. She argues that rigid expectations—such as long hours and networking events centred around after-work drinks—are detrimental to all genders. 

“The patriarchy affects men negatively too,” she says. Competitive cultures and long hours erode work-life balance for everyone and disproportionately hinder women, especially mothers, from progressing into leadership roles. 

Her work advocates for a broader understanding of gender justice, one that benefits all by promoting a more inclusive and balanced work environment. 

A practical message for designers 

Dr Baker’s message is clear: designers have the power to shape societal norms and behaviours. “Gender is ingrained in everything,” she explains. “Design is one of the fields where we can make a real difference.” 

Designing Gender: A Feminist Toolkit offers practical guidance for designers in fields like visual storytelling, user experience and product development, encouraging them to create inclusive spaces and products that challenge gender stereotypes. 

“The goal is to create designs that reflect the complexities of gender,” she says, urging designers to reflect on their own practices and their broader societal impact. 

Leading change in design and society 

As the conversation around gender and design evolves, Dr Baker’s work is redefining what it means to design with gender in mind. By connecting theory with practice, she empowers designers to question the status quo and imagine new possibilities for addressing systemic inequities. 

Through case studies, reflective exercises and practical tools, Designing Gender: A Feminist Toolkit inspires designers to rethink their role in shaping gender norms. It’s not just a book—it’s a movement calling on designers to challenge existing norms, embrace intersectional perspectives and champion gender justice. 

“It’s about creating the change we want to see—one design at a time,” Dr Baker says. 

By encouraging designers to think critically about how gender influences their work, Dr Baker is driving positive change in both the academic and practical realms of design. Her research offers a vital resource for those committed to building a more inclusive and equitable future. 

Dr. Baker will be speaking at Design Assembly's Women in Design Day 2025 on Friday 21 March.

You can purchase Designing Gender: A Feminist Toolkit below:
https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/designing-gender-9781350273740/
https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Gender-Sarah-Elsie-Baker/dp/1350273740