There's a fine line between being right and doing right.
You might be right that alt text should describe the content and function of every image. You might be right that colour contrast ratios need to meet WCAG standards. You might be right that keyboard navigation should work seamlessly. You might be right that screen readers need proper heading structures to make sense of a page.
I hear a lot of times arguments like "accessibility is a human right" or "it's not just the law, it's the right thing to do." And yes, you'd be correct in saying that. But those arguments often fall on deaf ears.
The thing is, they're just too abstract.
It's like saying "the sky is blue." Yes, yes it is. But why are you saying that? What does it mean for me? What am I supposed to do with that information?
When you lead with moral imperatives, you're not wrong. But you're also not connecting. You're preaching to people who already believe and you're accidentally putting everyone else on the defensive. Nobody wants to be told they're doing something morally wrong, especially when they're already overwhelmed with deadlines and competing priorities.
Here's what works better. Show them the impact. Make it real.
Instead of "accessibility is a human right," try "Sarah uses a screen reader and she can't complete her purchase because the checkout button isn't properly labeled." Instead of "it's the law," try "we're losing potential customers every day because people can't navigate our site."
Show them the business case. Show them how accessible design reduces support tickets. Show them how proper heading structure helps everyone scan content faster, not just screen reader users. Show them how captions help people watching videos in noisy coffee shops or quiet libraries.
Don't get me wrong. The moral argument matters. Rights matter. But if you want to actually change things, you need to meet people where they are. You need to give them something concrete they can act on.
Accessibility is the right thing to do. You're right. But you'll never get to do it right if all you care about is being right.
The goal is to build something better for everyone, not to win arguments. Sometimes that means swallowing your righteousness and finding a different way to say the same true thing.
Because at the end of the day, the person who can't use your website doesn't care whether you were morally right in your advocacy. They just want the damn thing to work.
Being right makes you feel good. But doing right makes everyone else's lives better.