Typography has the innate ability to cause strong opinions. From Comic Sans to Helvetica, people have steadfast views and stick to them wholeheartedly. People have such strong beliefs about certain typefaces that when one is altered or changed entirely within a design, people often become distressed.
The Washington Post recently reported on The U.S. State Department’s announcement that they’re phasing out their use of Times New Roman, an elegant serif typeface, and moving in a sans serif direction with Calibri. The change comes as the U.S. State Department works to be more inclusive to those visually impaired or with complications reading.
The change will officially be implemented on February 6, from which all requested papers must use the Calibri typeface as the primary font. Despite the fact that the secretary’s office advised the change of diversity and inclusion, there’s been push back on the switch up.
As with any typographical change, especially one that changes a typeface that’s been used for almost a decade, this one comes with ridicule and irritation. But inclusion comes in many shapes and forms, so out with the old and in with the Calibri.
Header image by Rishabh Sharma on Unsplash.