Why Image descriptions?

Image descriptions are a quick and simple way of increasing the accessibility of a website to a wider audience, including:

• Those with visual impairments (reduced acuity, blindness, agnosias etc)
• Those with learning disabilities
• Those who access the internet on a slow dial-up connection or a mobile device

Many people enjoy the use of screen readers, which ‘read out’ these image descriptions. I have recently started using image descriptions as I want this blog to be as accessible as possible to a wide range of people. Mind Over Matter aims to fight against mental health discrimination, but because of the interconnected nature of systems of oppression, it would be hypocritical of me to exclude those with other disabilities or without access to a fast internet connection.

Because I aim to provide a safe space for the discussion of gender, for genderqueer, transgender and cis persons alike, image descriptions will favour gender-neutral descriptions of people and use ‘they’ pronouns, unless the person(s) in the image are known by me to identify as a certain gender.

If you have any suggestions as to how to make this blog more accessible, please do send me a message here.