Times New Roman, Calibri, and who accessibility is for (hint: all of us)

In what might be a first for the platform, Jonathan Hoefler posted an insightful thread on Threads about a topic in which he is an expert and didn't make it vapid engagement bait. It's about the Times New Roman vs Calibri debate and how asinine basically all of it is, but it ends with this bit that I love:

if there are circumstances in which one typeface is easier to read for immigrants with disabilities, chances are it will be equally beneficial to middle-aged white guys with fancy eyeglasses.

This is the message I try to share are widely as possible. I hate it when people say that "some people need accessibility," which is something I heard a lot this summer in the liquid glass discourse. Accessibility is not putting white text on a white background…how dark you need to make the text to be legible varies from person to person, but there's no point along the way where you go from "normal people" to "people who need accessibility features".

Proper text contrast lets everyone read easier.

Keyboard shortcuts allow anyone to navigate interfaces how they want.

Consistent, obvious UI helps everyone understand how their software works.

On a related note, I liked this post from Steven Aquino: Times New Rubio:

Typographical nerdery notwithstanding, however, what I take away from Rubio’s directive is simple: he cares not one iota for people with disabilities, just like his boss.

Whether Times New Roman, Calibri, or something else is the best font for the most people in official documents is interesting, but come on, inclusivity isn't exactly a top priority for this government.