Employment law only covers so much. For one, people are still discriminated against on the basis of their belonging to a protected class - it just can't be done overtly. For another the laws don't cover everything.
I appreciate that you feel the phrasing is antagonistic; but I hope you can appreciate that to me it is deeply reassuring and gives me much needed hope.
Searching for employment for me is very stressful (as it is for most people I imagine). I'm non-typical in a few ways, and some of them are rather visible. I have to worry about and have experienced judgment/reluctance to hire me based on those differences. It is nice for me to know ahead of time that an employer is not just looking for people who fit a certain mold.
It's not just about women, LGBTQ, people of color, etc either. One of the ways I am somewhat non-typical as a developer is I'm a high school dropout. It's relatively common for developers not to have a college/university education, but overall it's still not the norm and there are places that will discount you on that basis (especially outside the major tech hubs). Sure, a lot of postings will add that nice qualifier "or equivalent experience"; and that's great. This goes a little farther though, and lets me know that not only will they not hold my lack of a piece of paper against me, they won't hold my alternate path in life against me either.
I can appreciate that it might seem like it goes without saying to you, or might ring hollow... but honestly I've found there are places that don't care about diversity/inclusiveness, or are even hostile to it. Also, I do actually appreciate just the effort of hanging that little sign that says "this is a welcoming place".
I appreciate that you feel the phrasing is antagonistic; but I hope you can appreciate that to me it is deeply reassuring and gives me much needed hope.
Searching for employment for me is very stressful (as it is for most people I imagine). I'm non-typical in a few ways, and some of them are rather visible. I have to worry about and have experienced judgment/reluctance to hire me based on those differences. It is nice for me to know ahead of time that an employer is not just looking for people who fit a certain mold.
It's not just about women, LGBTQ, people of color, etc either. One of the ways I am somewhat non-typical as a developer is I'm a high school dropout. It's relatively common for developers not to have a college/university education, but overall it's still not the norm and there are places that will discount you on that basis (especially outside the major tech hubs). Sure, a lot of postings will add that nice qualifier "or equivalent experience"; and that's great. This goes a little farther though, and lets me know that not only will they not hold my lack of a piece of paper against me, they won't hold my alternate path in life against me either.
I can appreciate that it might seem like it goes without saying to you, or might ring hollow... but honestly I've found there are places that don't care about diversity/inclusiveness, or are even hostile to it. Also, I do actually appreciate just the effort of hanging that little sign that says "this is a welcoming place".