The March edition of the IndieWeb Carnival is about accessibility on the small web. The host, orchids, touches on a note-worthy design pattern found in this fine corner of the Internet: that of artsy, personal websites that emulate technology of old, particularly the early days of Internet. The fair question orchids poses is: how does this design pattern affect people with particular accessibility needs?

Here I am.

My coworker Mattia is a gem; a man of deep thought and good ideas. He asked me today if I knew of any writing on the topic of language learning and inclusion.

One trait common in Dutch speakers (at least in the Randstad) is that, as soon as a non-native speaker joins the conversation, they will switch to English. I can speak only for myself: it’s an act of inclusion, of liberation. I want expats to feel at home in the Netherlands, and autonomous in their manner and pace of learning Dutch. Forcing them into it over lunch, which is a time to relax, is not something I’m fond of doing.

It’s Gay Pride today. Yesterday, as N and I were on our way to the cinema, somebody yelled “DYKES!” at us.

I dislike such antics as much as the next gay. I don’t like the words “dyke” and “fag” and the stigma surrounding homosexuality. Since we’re alive in the modern world of 2009, I always fervently hope that people know better by now.

I’m lucky enough to live in an environment with friends and family who support me. My choice to walk hand in hand with N, and not Nicholas. I rarely encounter homophobia.