# Improve accessibility and layout for headings beginning with emoji

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/improve-accessibility-and-layout-for-headings-beginning-with-emoji/387704
**Category:** UX
**Tags:** markdown, accessibility
**Created:** [November 5, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/improve-accessibility-and-layout-for-headings-beginning-with-emoji/387704 "2025-11-05T18:42:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![maiki](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/maiki/32/233950_2.png) [@maiki](https://meta.discourse.org/u/maiki)
#### Post date: [November 5, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/improve-accessibility-and-layout-for-headings-beginning-with-emoji/387704/1 "2025-11-05T18:42:07Z")

</div>

It is a common pattern to include emoji at the beginning of headings to add visual distinction and flair.

An example…

```plaintext
## :white_check_mark: Rock the Vote, this Tuesday!

```

…which renders as:

> ## :white_check_mark: Rock the Vote, this Tuesday!

The code generated for that heading looks like the following:

```html
<h2 dir="auto">
  <a name="p-9969-white_check_mark-rock-the-vote-this-tuesday-1" class="anchor" href="#p-9969-white_check_mark-rock-the-vote-this-tuesday-1"></a>
  <img src="https://emoji.discourse-cdn.com/twitter/white_check_mark.png?v=15" 
       title=":white_check_mark:" 
       class="emoji" 
       alt=":white_check_mark:" 
       loading="lazy" 
       width="20" 
       height="20" 
       style="aspect-ratio: 20 / 20;">
  Rock the Vote, this Tuesday!
</h2>

```

Could we make changes to the `img` element to make the headings more accessible and visually consistent? For example:

- `aria-hidden="true"` so the emoji or alt is not rendered for screenreaders
- `vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 8px;` for consistent alignment

```html
<h2 dir="auto">
  <a name="p-9969-white_check_mark-rock-the-vote-this-tuesday-1" class="anchor" href="#p-9969-white_check_mark-rock-the-vote-this-tuesday-1"></a>
  <img src="https://emoji.discourse-cdn.com/twitter/white_check_mark.png?v=15" 
       title=":white_check_mark:" 
       class="emoji" 
       alt=":white_check_mark:" 
       aria-hidden="true" 
       loading="lazy" 
       width="20" 
       height="20" 
       style="aspect-ratio: 20 / 20; vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 8px;">
  Rock the Vote, this Tuesday!
</h2>

```