My take on Diversity and Inclusion during Figma’s #Config 2021
How far are we really going to promote awareness of Diversity and Inclusion at workplace, events, team building activities, communities, organizations, and recruitment or hiring?
So last night, or let’s say at 12 midnight in our time zone, I tried keeping myself awake just to watch the Day 2 of Config 2021 since I missed Day 1. I noticed on the livestream that there are live captions available (it really is very visible that it would definitely catch your attention). I was like “Oh this is nice. So they’re implementing D&I on the event”. They even have a Sign Language Translator. *Clap clap to that*
For someone who has a very short attention span (I’m not kidding here. I easily get distracted and it really is a pain in the ass that “fix it” is impossible), the live caption is distracting and I cannot keep my eyes focused on the presentation. So I looked for the setting thinking that I have the option to toggle off the caption. To my surprise, there’s NONE. Yes folks, you cannot toggle it off so sadly you have no choice but to bear with it.
So then I remember that during the hosts’ introduction, they mentioned that they disabled the “live caption toggle off” option due to the D&I awareness they are promoting in the event. Now, as for someone who is a non-PWD, I felt a little bit of unfairness. As someone who has been in an organization for so many years, we also have been promoting D&I but never in my entire life of organizing disregarded the preference and comforts of the non-PWD. Why? Because if we focused so much more on catering the PWD without taking non-PWD into consideration, that would debunk the sense and demonstration of Diversity and Inclusivity.
By the way, D&I by is a
A diverse and inclusive workplace is one that makes everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do for the business, feel equally involved in and supported in all areas of the workplace. (source)
Moreover, I am not the only one who was complaining about it. In the live chat panel, I saw people with the same sentiment as I am, saying the same. To be precise, a lot of people were complaining about it on Day 1 compared to Day 2. And you know what’s more disappointing? The people who’re okay with the live captions can only say “It’s because of the D&I awareness” and some even went to twitter mocking people who want to turn off the caption. It’s just sad, thinking, where’s the inclusivity this folks are trying to support and promote?
Anyway, the bottom-line of why I want to share this is that everything in the world has its Limitation in order to avoid Abuse. The D&I program has been a very good movement and promotion that even I, as an LGBTQA+ advocate, supports it the most. But we don’t have to go that much far and disregard or deprioritize the convenience or preferences and needs of other groups.
Lastly, in the sense of science, we all know how our brain works amazingly right? So when someone loses one of his/her senses, the other senses are heightened and are more sensitive compared to how it usually is. So non-PWD groups mostly don’t have this. In addition, what I really want to point out and emphasize is that, non-PWD groups may not have suffered disabilities as PWD groups are but it doesn’t mean we are free from any mental illnesses and disorders.
Now to the Config Team, how hard is it really to add or enable caption toggle off option in the livestream settings?
PS: I don’t have any intention of offending anyone in my article and am not deeply complaining at all. I am watching it for free. This is only to cite my opinion on the matter based on my experience as someone who uses smaller devices to watch the livestream.
Anyway, the #Config2021 is much awaited by the design community and even the non-designers. Thank you so much to the Figma and Config Team for the effort in making this conference available for free for everyone.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
