[hunter2_]

If the author had written about how they used to omit alt text on all images and explain to co-workers how it's a waste of energy because it doesn't show up anyway, but then one day reached enlightenment about how some user agents do use it and many people using such agents are visually impaired, and promulgated that everyone should ensure that non-decorative, non-captioned images have alt text, would that also be a form of pity? Are all a11y efforts pitiful?

[Grumbledour]

I don't think they are, but there is a difference at not including someone and just discomforting them.

So the guy who has his tabs set to 2 and huge font sizes, that's me, because I am disabled, but it could also be my dad, who is just old and would want a larger font size because its easier on the eyes. But we both would still be able to work with bigger tabs or smaller font, it would just be annoying. But that can be true for every coworker, so I think the disabled persons opinion should not have more weight in such a debate.

Leaving alt tags from images makes them unusable for a screen reader though. That argument carries more weight, because the user would not be inconvenienced, but excluded.

And really, I am not arguing against any form of effort to make something work good for all involved, but rather that it often seems that empathy gets only switched on in people when someone plays a minority card. And that sucks.

[hunter2_]

Great answer, thank you. It seems like the accessibility bar is often described as equal enjoyment for all, not merely attainability for all. Based on that, I figured an inconvenience or annoyance should be below the bar, and you are very forgiving to instead find them acceptable!

Your point about minorities is well taken, but I guess the reality is that creating for the majority involves more obvious or ubiquitous knowledge, so creating with minorities in mind takes more conversation, teaching, learning, and card-like moments. Empathy in the latter but not the former is probably innate at some level.