#NOOOO WAIT I JUST REMEMBERED. BC I ALREADY MADE THAT A TAG HERE AUGHHHHHHHHHHH

[pathos-logical]

hello! saw that you add image descriptions and I was wondering if you think the alt text feature tumblr has is good for image descriptions or if it’s better to just write it out in the post? I’m not the most knowledgeable on how to do good image descriptions but I wanna start making the habit of putting them on things

Hello!!! This is a great question, thank you for reaching out!!! The alt feature is great for descriptions, but the most recent consensus I've seen is that doing both alt text and plain text (body text) IDs in the post is actually the most broadly accessible way to describe a post!! Here's an example of what I mean (you'll notice there's some more detail in the plain text, and that the alt isn't appended by brackets or extra ID formatting):

[ID: My icon, an emoji fish carrying an emoji love letter in its mouth surrounded by hearts and set against a pink gradient. End ID]

The blind community has competing access needs, which means there isn't a one-size-fits-all format, and your final choice comes down to what you prefer on your blog, as long as your IDs are useful and clear :)

Some bullet points to help you get your bearings:

Alt text is occasionally plagued by glitches and is sometimes considered less accessible to people who may not use a screenreader. It's still the most useful form of ID for screenreader users, from what I've gathered!

Plain text IDs should be written in fully plain text-- no small text or excessive italics/caps lock! However, I've seen that bold is generally more acceptable as special formatting. Utilize line breaks if necessary, but try to emphasize clarity and conciseness rather than exhaustive detail. Also, IDs go directly below (or above) the image, not at the end of a post!

People who do use both forms of description will frequently, as I did above, write a relatively bare-bones alt and a more in-depth ID so screenreader users can choose whether they want to sit through repeated information or not!

And last: Thank you again for reaching out!!!! Every person who chooses to make their spaces accessible makes the world a better place :))))