The Quiet Violence of Normative Design

Design is not neutral; it encodes assumptions about the “default” user. When staircases are the only option, they exclude wheelchair users. When voice assistants struggle with accents, they marginalize non-native speakers. This is normative design—design that centers one type of body, ability, or culture as standard, rendering others as inconvenient afterthoughts. This quiet violence lies in its passive exclusion, framing accessibility as a special accommodation rather than a fundamental right. Inclusive design flips this script, starting from the margins and designing for the full range of human diversity. It recognizes that what works for the most excluded often creates a better experience for everyone.

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