"Microwelcome" was coined by Twitter user hashocotothorpe for a lightning talk about responding to people with visible diabilities at AdaCamp Portland. It's intended as the opposite of a microaggression.
Examples:
- Making an effort to remember the food allergies of friends and taking time to research restaurants where you can eat comfortably together
- Remembering that a teammate needs to use the elevator instead of needing to be reminded every time you're walking together
- "Continuing to have the conversation we were in the middle of having when you learn I'm trans" courtesy Twitter user rlyeh
- Not remarking on or asking about a visbile disability
Broadly speaking, a microwelcome can fall into one of a few categories:
- Providing access or accomodations for marginalized people without being asked
- Refraining from making othering remarks and/or normalizing a person's externally-visible differences
Contents
General
- Follow as many accessibility best practices as possible without being asked.
Project
Community
- Including captions for videos by default
Conference
- Mention specifically that you're looking for submissions from groups which are traditionally underrepresented in your field
- Catalog the physical accessibility pros/cons of your venue and publish them in prominent places (such as elevators, wheelchair lifts, audio amplifiction, natural lighting, etc)
- If you show photos of past events on your site, select photos that display people who are traditionally underrepresented in your field
Workplace
- Include employment equity statements on your job posts, and if applicable, specific mention of how you foster and encourage diversity - programs you sponsor, organizations you work with, etc.
- If you have a photo gallery of employees, lead with photos of people who are traditionally underrepresented in your field
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