# Can somebody explain the Calibri issue to me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 14, 2025, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690 "2025-12-14T20:05:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/21 "2025-12-14T21:28:58Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Is that related to Trump trying to get rid of the WH ASL interpreter? Maybe, but I more suspect that Trump is worried that an interpreter would intentionally change/misinterpret what he’s saying…or, possibly, make him sound even stupider by trying to “interpret” his increasingly incoherent ramblings. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/22 "2025-12-14T21:32:27Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Maybe, but I more suspect that Trump is worried that an interpreter would intentionally change/misinterpret what he’s saying That’s my assumption as well. What does he do about (vocal/language) interpreters? They must be present when he’s speaking in non-English speaking countries? What about UN meetings, does he wear the headphones or just pretend like he understands everything? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/23 "2025-12-14T21:33:01Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > The GOP just wanted to follow the example of their historical heroes. You saw my Pol Pot comparison and raised me a Hitler. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/24 "2025-12-14T21:33:54Z")
Which just shows how stupid he is- does he think if the White House doesn’t provide a sign language interpreter that no TV stations will? At least he would have some control over a WH interpreter. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/25 "2025-12-14T21:38:37Z")
Genuine question…how does an interpreter interpret his [accidentally] made up words? Just gloss past them by signing the correct word or spell it out with some sort of a SIC qualifier? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/26 "2025-12-14T21:39:19Z")
What a silly notion- that a font can be “woke”. Too bad Rubio is spineless, there’s no need to make himself look so stupid. But when DJT says “jump”, he says “how high”. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/27 "2025-12-14T21:40:18Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > At least he would have some control over a WH interpreter. Yes, he might even manage to find a MAGA one (though I bet they are thin on the ground). A MAGA interpreter would react to his word-salad with something like _'and now Dear Leader has said something so awe-inspiring that I can’t even translate it._..’ ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/28 "2025-12-14T22:00:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You saw my Pol Pot comparison and raised me a Hitler. This pack of jackals deserves no less. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/29 "2025-12-14T23:45:33Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > What a silly notion- that a font can be “woke”. Too bad Rubio is spineless, there’s no need to make himself look so stupid. But when DJT says “jump”, he says “how high”. Show a little sympathy. I imagine it’s difficult for Rubio at cabinet meetings when Hegseth and Kennedy and Noem are all bragging about how many people they’ve killed this week and all he can say is he banned a font. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/30 "2025-12-14T23:50:32Z")
The only strange thing to me is that they went with Times New Roman. I know the Times is The Times (London), but the dreaded failed New York Times did use it for most of DJT’s lifetime. I checked a bit to see if there are fonts with a more MAGA-friendly name. They may have considered Georgia. Swing state? Yes, but MAGAville says that’s only because the other side cheats. The New York Times now uses Georgia, so if any progressive complained, they would own the libs. Here are other possibilities; [Mississippi](https://www.typotheque.com/fonts/mississippi) [Tennessee](https://fontzone.net/font-details/tennessee-sf) [Iowan Old Style](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowan_Old_Style) There may be licensing issues. Trump says no laws are broken when he’s saving the country, but I’m not sure this extends to Marco Rubio’s stationery. \ ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/31 "2025-12-14T23:50:36Z")
A list showing common fonts is linked below. **IMHO** , the most woke font is: Unicorn And the least woke font is: Haettensweiler > **[Font list - so you can see what various fonts look like](https://wavian.com/font-list.html)** (This post was mainly meant to satire the ridiculousness of font wokeness.) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2025, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/32 "2025-12-14T23:55:52Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Is that related to Trump trying to get rid of the WH ASL interpreter? Last spring a provincial cabinet minister in Manitoba got in trouble after giving a speech at a grad ceremony. She was caught on audio complaining to one of her staffers about the ASL interpreter who was on the stage. > [@](#): > > I was thrown off,” Fontaine replied. “It wasn’t great but, because the woman – she shouldn’t have been on the stage.” > > Fontaine continued, saying she couldn’t see the left side of the stage due to the interpreter and that “all I could see was her…” > > “Frantic hand movements?” he offered. > > “Yes! I’m like, f\*\*\* why did I have her on the stage,” added Fontaine, “Jesus, I’m like ‘you need to leave’.” The minister in question is the Minister of Accessibility, whose remit is, well, to improve accessibility to public services for individuals with disabilities. She kept her position, but has been apologizing for half a year. > **[Manitoba Accessibility minister apologizes for interpreter comments](https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/manitoba-accessibility-minister-apologizes-for-comments-about-sign-language-interpreter/)** > > Manitoba’s Minister for Accessibility is apologizing to the deaf and hard of hearing community for comments about interpreter ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/33 "2025-12-15T00:02:49Z")
That’s hilariously dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/34 "2025-12-15T00:03:27Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > **IMHO** , the most woke font is: Unicorn > > And the least woke font is: Haettensweiler Do we look like Socialists? We’re not going to use some European font like Haettensweiler. [AmerType](https://www.fontpalace.com/font-details/amertype/) all the way, Bro. USA! USA! USA! ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/35 "2025-12-15T00:47:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > [AmerType](https://www.fontpalace.com/font-details/amertype/) all the way, Bro. USA! USA! USA! You nailed it. Mail in that suggestion to Rubio’s chief of staff, and let’s see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/36 "2025-12-15T01:14:28Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > And the least woke font is: Haettensweiler Whatever happened to Fraktur?!? ETA: > **[Fraktur](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraktur)** > > Fraktur (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}German: \[fʁakˈtuːɐ̯\] ⓘ) is a calligraphic hand of the Latin alphabet and any of several blackletter typefaces derived from this hand. It is designed such that the beginnings and ends of the individual strokes that make up each letter will be clearly visible, and often emphasized; in this way... ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/37 "2025-12-15T01:20:05Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Whatever happened to Fraktur?!? Hitler personally disliked it. That gives it some Woke Points, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Sylvanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/38 "2025-12-15T01:42:23Z")
I haven’t read all this but the trump crowd is stupid, petty, revenge fetishists. Anything the evil Biden administration did must be erased. A lot like instead of President Biden’s picture in the hall he’s put up a picture of an auto pen. Biden will never be forgiven for beating trump in the 2020 election. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/39 "2025-12-15T02:49:27Z")
The truly stupid part is that it was chosen because it’s easier for _anyone_ to read on a computer screen, and a lot more friendly for OCR type software. I doubt it was developed with readability by the disabled as a primary goal, it just happens to possibly be that way. Now if they’d mandated that they use the OpenDyslexic font, then at least that would be intended to be readable by a population of people who have a disability, and it also does look unquestionably weird. My thoughts overall are similar to @What_Exit’s - Arial does everything Calibri does, and better. And TNR looks great and is pretty readable. The main reason I can see for choosing Calibri is that it’ was the _default_ for Word. So pretty much every document is in the right font out of the gate, without having to detail your IT guys to try and force that on however many tens or hundreds of thousands of computers across however many sites. But Microsoft has inexplicably changed it to Aptos, so who knows? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690/40 "2025-12-15T10:27:00Z")
For a little more info: Calibri was created as a new font that worked well with the new ClearType font rendering that makes text look better on LCD screens. It is also very screen focused, while serif fonts like Times New Roman are very print focused. Times is just older and old means good to these people. I personally don’t like Times on my screen and switch my serif font to Georgia. On paper Times is fine, but not my favorite. this post was written earlier but I forgot to submit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-somebody-explain-the-calibri-issue-to-me/1025690.md?page=3)