Hey! I've found that it's really disheartening when I've described a post and then repeatedly see it on my dash without the ID. Do you have any advice on getting more people to see/reblog the described version of posts or on just not getting discouraged by this? I do think it's important to make content accessible but sometimes it feels so pointless...
Hello! Thanks for the ask!
Being totally honest, I think what you’re describing is a really common experience for accessibility-focused blogs. I think no matter what, there are always going to be some people who don’t understand or recognize the importance of making posts accessible. That doesn’t mean that the work we’re doing is pointless, though! This is a community effort; the more people who are on board with adding image descriptions/transcriptions/etc, the more accessible the internet is in general.
As far as tips for encouraging people to see/reblog image descriptions, I think the most important thing is to keep writing them and putting them out into the world! The more commonplace they become, the more people will start to look into them and want to educate themselves. Be prepared to provide resources and some education on what IDs are and why they’re important, and share posts that include that information (feel free to check out our accessibility resources tag for a place to start with that). I’d also recommend checking out and following blogs that share those resources frequently and who make a habit of posting image descriptions. Our described by OP tag is a great place to look for RQ artists who add descriptions to their own art. I know some folks have had luck with engaging with artists, fan blogs, and fan event organizers directly, too- even asking an artist a question about someone’s art so you can write an accurate ID can open up a conversation. Make sure to always approach these interactions with kindness; there are any number of reasons why a person might not be adding IDs to their own art, and our purpose is education and dialogue, not blaming and shaming!
Increasing accessibility within a fan community takes time, but I know I personally have seen a pretty incredible increase in the number of accessible posts coming out of RQ fan communities in the last year or so, and that number is only increasing! And thank you for all your hard work in encouraging that growth.
