“Male or female?” Damn, can’t we just change this question to “fabulous or fierce?” It’s estimated that we have 700,000 transgender adults living in the U.S. Also estimated: 1 in 1500 babies are born with atypical genitals.
Gender isn’t so black and white, is it? And finally, Facebook agrees. Facebook took one step towards equality today by adding over 50 applicable genders to give voice to the entire spectrum. From “agender” to “two-spirit,” users now have serious options to satiate their subtle identities.
On their Diversity page, Facebook stated:
When you come to Facebook to connect with the people, causes, and organizations you care about, we want you to feel comfortable being your true, authentic self. An important part of this is the expression of gender, especially when it extends beyond the definitions of just “male” or "female.” So today, we’re proud to offer a new custom gender option to help you better express your own identity on Facebook.
Fist pump.
As Zuckerberg (a rich white, hetero-normative man) could seem a bit square to queer parties (but honestly who knows!), Facebook allied with GLAAD to perfect the list of options. Need to shield gossipy Aunt Pam from your identified gender? No problem! Facebook’s got ya covered: there’s an option to control who can and cannot see your sh*t.
This new feature is a step forward in recognizing transgender people and allows them to tell their authentic story in their own words. – GLAAD President, Sarah Kate Ellis.
Some users are already asking for more pronouns but as Facebook is clearly listening we’re staying optimistic on future evolutions.
So if this all PR mumbo gumbo garbage designed to endear the LGBTQ rainbow to Facebook's corporate juggernaut? Nope.
In the words of one Facebook user: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have made me feel like a real person and I cannot tell you how much that matters.”
It’s okay, we’ll hand you a tissue for that one.
Image: Facebook
