Covert DEI Design Techniques for Earthly Survival in Hostile Contexts

As anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) forces spread across Europe and the US, inclusive design faces new constrains. Covert DEI is proposed as an alternative: developing tools for inclusive design in hostile contexts. In collaboration with gender-non-conforming participants and a healthcare-tech CEO, we examine the potential of AI-generated personas acting as meaningful proxies alongside risks such as the stereotypical outputs of generative AI. We argue that, if developed with care, Covert DEI techniques can serve as forms of resistance.