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No, I agree. Web standards are not a place for personal tributes and documentations are not a place for political statements.

These days, we have both.




> documentations are not a place for political statements

Our work is a reflection of ourselves. Some of us feel strongly about issues that affect us in a personal way. You are likely referring to social issues you do not agree with, and as a gay man I have this to say: I will not stop asserting my right to exist openly, and that includes in the work I do.


No offense but thank you for demonstrating this issue perfectly.

You instantly assume that I am talking about social issues that I do not agree with or that do not affect me and feel personally attacked.

It's quite the opposite, though. I most often agree with the messages people put in their documentation. Some of them even have a very deep personal meaning for me.

Yet, I stand by my point that a technical documentation or standard is no place for them. You, I or nobody has any right to force someone who is trying to build software to listen to your/my/their personal beliefs and political opinions.


>You, I or nobody has any right to force someone who is trying to build software to listen to your/my/their personal beliefs and political opinions.

I'm going to continue to build, and to make, and to live, and to thrive.

There is never "a place" for inconvenient speech. This is an extremely privileged position.

Don't like it? Don't read my docs. Go consume elsewhere. Thanks!


It sounds like the two of you are talking about different things (personal creations vs. international standards) — perhaps that's a root of the disagreement?


Frankly, I was focusing less on the standards and more on documentation, but I would absolutely include an advocation for my human rights into any standard I was responsible for. There are still many countries I am unable to safely visit, and if they are going to use my work, I want them to at least be cognizant of their cruelty.


This genuinely sounds like satire to me. You don’t know the politics of the person you’re replying to, to say the least.

Additionally, even if I agree on your assertion of “your right to existing openly”, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t exercise that right wherever you can get away with it and fuck the haters.


>You don’t know the politics of the person you’re replying to, to say the least.

I said likely, not absolute. After a certain amount of people complaining about your including social issues in your work, you begin to see a pattern :)

>it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t exercise that right wherever you can get away with it and fuck the haters.

A brief aside of solidarity with my trans brothers and sisters is crucially important. The recent shooting in Colorado only strengthens my resolve.

You don't have to like it. You are free to complain about it. Thanks!




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