Accessibility: Don’t be nice, be kind

Have you ever been out to dinner with a friend, and after finishing off a leafy green salad, your friend turns to you with a wide grimace showing off their teeth and asks, “Do I have anything stuck in my teeth?” You notice a little piece of spinach stuck right in the middle of their smile. Do you tell them?

They’ll be so embarrassed if you say “yes.” You decide to do the nice thing and say, “You look great!” You’re not lying. They do look great even with the green stuck in their teeth. Your friend goes home, and as they brush their teeth getting ready for bed notice that sneaky piece of green.

They remember your comment. “Well, that wasn’t very kind,” they think. Often being nice is doing something because it will save you from discomfort and make you feel better. This is not the same as being kind.

Intention matters

Just like there is a difference between being nice and being kind, in the world of accessibility there is a difference between complying and conforming. It would be a nice gesture to apply an accessibility overlay to your website. You’re adding a tool that makes you appear to be an accessibility ally.

 

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