“We Figure It Out Together”: A Framework for Relational Communication in Disabled and Neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ Romantic Partnerships

Paper Title

“We Figure It Out Together”: A Framework for Relational Communication in Disabled and Neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ Romantic Partnerships

Publication Info

• Topic area: Relational communication practices in disabled and neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ romantic partnerships.
• Keywords: Relational communication, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergence, disability, accessibility, co-creation, adaptive practices, relational infrastructure, technology design, queer-crip theory.

Background and Problem

• Problem / challenge: Existing research on accessibility and communication often focuses on specific disabilities or single moments in time, neglecting the intersectionality of queer, disabled, and neurodivergent identities and the long-term dynamics of relational communication.
• Significance: Understanding how disabled and neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ partners co-create communication practices can inform the design of technologies that support their unique relational needs, fostering accessibility and emotional connection.
• Motivation and related work: Prior work has explored relational accessibility and interdependence but often frames LGBTQIA+ and autistic individuals through deficit models. There is limited understanding of how these partnerships sustain and adapt communication practices over time, particularly in the context of intersecting identities.

Solution

• Proposed approach: Introduction of the Relational Access Framework for Communication (RAF-Comm), a model that centers identity, co-creation, and adaptation as fundamental to relational accessibility in disabled and neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ partnerships.
• Novelty:
  1. Conceptualization of relational infrastructure as the communicative system of shared practices, routines, and meanings co-created by partners.
  2. Development of the RAF-Comm framework, consisting of four interconnected components: Identifying and Disclosing Intersecting Identities, Co-Creating Communication Practices, Adapting to Shifting Capacities and Contexts, and Negotiating Conditional Use of Technology.
  3. Empirical insights into how partners navigate communication challenges, including the conditional use of technology and the importance of non-use.
  4. Design principles for technologies that support evolving relational ecosystems.
• Procedure and key techniques:
  • Conducted a three-month diary and co-design study with five LGBTQIA+ partnerships and one solo participant.
  • Data collection included over 500 diary entries, 150 images, and 6 videos, analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
  • Structured co-design sessions involved collaborative ideation and reflection on communication strategies and tools.

Results

• Concrete findings:
  • Partners co-created adaptive communication practices, such as visual tools, emotional state dials, and shared rituals, to navigate cognitive and emotional differences.
  • Asynchronous communication provided flexibility but introduced ambiguities and relational tensions.
  • Technology use was conditional, with tools like ChatGPT serving as scaffolds for some but creating relational strain for others.
  • Shared humor and personalized cues (e.g., custom stickers) supported emotional connection and clarity.
• Advantage over baselines: The study extended prior work by focusing on the intersectionality of queer, disabled, and neurodivergent identities, capturing long-term, co-created relational practices rather than single moments or individual experiences.
• Experiments / evaluation:
  • Participants engaged in diary studies and co-design sessions to reflect on and develop communication practices.
  • Themes were iteratively validated through member-checking and collaborative analysis.
• Limitations and future work:
  • Sample skewed white, younger, and U.S.-based, limiting generalizability.
  • Focused on romantic partnerships, excluding broader queer support networks.
  • Future work should explore diverse racial and cultural contexts, non-romantic configurations, and major life transitions.

Summary

This study introduces the Relational Access Framework for Communication (RAF-Comm) to model the adaptive communication practices of disabled and neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ romantic partnerships. Through a three-month diary and co-design study, the authors identified key themes, including the co-creation of visual tools, shared rituals, and the conditional use of technology. The RAF-Comm framework highlights four components: intersecting identities, co-created practices, adaptation to shifting contexts, and negotiated technology use. The findings inform design principles for technologies that support relational ecosystems, emphasizing flexibility, consent, and co-creation. Future work should expand the framework’s applicability to diverse populations and contexts.