Any image that conveys relevant, meaningful context should have ALT text. The details of the ALT text will depend on the context of the image and the content creator. And there are times when ALT text, to be truly effective, should include characteristics such as skin tone, race, ethnicity, and disability.
Jake Archibald, in his blog post Writing great alt text: Emotion matters, writes, "In the context of a conference website, if the speaker is talking about JavaScript performance, it seems unnecessary to bring race into it. However, if the speaker is talking about their experience of prejudice in the tech industry, that changes the context."
In her article The case for describing race in alternative text attributes, Tolu Adegbite provides this powerful example.
Alt text without reference to race: "Woman walking ahead of crowd, with woman screaming behind her."
Alt text with reference to race: "Elizabeth Eckford, a Black woman, and one of the Little Rock Nine, walking ahead of a white crowd, with a white woman screaming behind her."
Elizabeth Eckford was one of 9 Black students (commonly referred to as the Little Rock Nine) who enrolled at an all-white school in Little Rock, Arkansas after segregation in American public schools was declared unconstitutional. The iconic image of her walking stoically towards her school while a crowd of white students and adults heckle and jeer at her loses a lot of its context and nuance when we leave out the race of the people in the picture.
When ALT text is incorrect or lacking detail, screen reader users receive misleading information or are left without crucial context, potentially affecting their interpretation of the content.
Tips on Writing Diverse, Inclusive, Descriptive ALT Text
- Remember: The details of the ALT text will depend on why the image is being used and what context it supports.
- Describe what you see, such as physical appearances and actions, rather than intentions that can be based on your own interpretations.
- Describe the race (and gender, if possible) of the subject of your image. But, also…
- Don't assume race or gender.
- When referring to someone with a disability, use person-first language. For additional best practices, visit Speaking Respectfully About Disability.
- Do not censor your ALT text because the image contains disturbing or controversial material.
- For skin tone, Accessible Publishing Learning Network suggests the following:
- light skin tone
- medium-light skin tone
- medium skin tone
- medium-dark skin tone
- dark skin tone
Crafting inclusive ALT text is a small act with a significant impact. "Writers of alt text hold power in shaping the experience and perception of screen-reader users." ~ Tolu Adegbite
Choose your words wisely.
