This Is Not About Accessibility

Kamala Harris tells us that she's a woman in a blue dress. But did we really need to know that?

I’ve seen a lot of people jumping into the debate over Kamala Harris stating her pronouns, announcing that she’s female, and then describing the color of her suit. I’m going to throw my hat into the ring because web accessibility is something I write about for a living. And people like this are nothing more than hyperemotional, virtue signaling idiots:

Pro-Choice Now and Forever @Johanna_Ann

My mom posted this in response to the Kamala Harris story and it about sums it up.

So, let’s briefly unpack what should have happened if this had anything to do with accessibility.

Here is the video in question:

Greg Price @greg_price11

VP: "I am Kamala Harris, my pronouns are she and her, and I am a woman sitting at the table wearing a blue suit."

Harris opens up the meeting by saying:

“I am Kamala Harris, my pronouns are she and her, and I am a woman sitting at the table wearing a blue suit.”

There’s nothing empathetic or inclusive about any of this.

How Do We Make Content Accessible?

Let’s say that only sighted individuals were watching this video or attending the meeting. Would we need assistance determining who the vice president of our country is, what her gender is, or what she’s wearing? No.

Now, what if we closed our eyes? Would we not understand the context of the meeting or not be able to follow the discussion if she had left that bit off?

The only part of her statement that is useful to us is when she states her name. When you have a group of people speaking, then it’s valuable to know who is speaking at any one time. It’s also valuable to know that there are multiple speakers.

Everything else provided in her statement and the statement of subsequent speakers has actually made this meeting intro inaccessible.

One of the rules we abide by when creating content for the web is to only include the most necessary details. By adding extra, irrelevant information, you risk confusing and frustrating your users. And this poor user experience will cause many of them to abandon your content altogether. This can also compromise your brand’s reputation as excessive descriptions can be interpreted as pandering or condescension.

This goes just as much for written content as it does visuals.

As a content writer, I’m often tasked with writing something called alt(ernative) text for website imagery. I use it to provide details about descriptive visuals. For example, if there is wording or data in an image, I have to write out what those words or data points are so that visually impaired users can “see” them. I do not write alt text for images or details within those images that are purely decorative or serve no purpose in furthering the understanding of the content.

So, let’s say I needed to embed this screenshot from the video into my post:

I’ve attached the following snippet of alt text to the image:

The vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris, sits at the head of the table as she addresses disability advocates

By the way: If you hover over the image with your mouse or tap it with your finger, you will see the alt text appear. For people that use screen readers, the reader will say the alt text aloud for you.

What you see in the alt text is all anyone — sighted or visually impaired — needs to know in order to understand the context of what they’re seeing. The time we waste listening to Harris prattle on about her clothing and pronouns ruins the experience for all of us.

Final Thoughts

Let’s be honest, Harris’s presence alone creates a poor experience.

My god, how many different groups is she going to claim have been seriously impacted by the overturning of Roe vs. Wade? All the Supreme Court did was kick the decision back to the states, which is how it should be.

This is not a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act nor is it going to lead to mass deaths. Nor does it turn women into second-class citizens, which a friend recently said to me. Abortion has not been made illegal. And if you don’t like how your state handles abortion, then move.

No wonder why people are focused on her idiotic, virtue signaling intro instead of on her remarks in this meeting.