In May, Google proposed a set of new emoji to the Unicode Technical Committee that represent a wider range of professions for women (as well as men), and reflect the pivotal roles that women play in the world.
The Google team presented the designs of 13 new emojis on Tuesday at the Unicode Consortium, a Silicon Valley not-for-profit group that runs an “emoji subcommittee” overseeing the creation of new emojis.
“No matter where you look, women are gaining visibility and recognition as never before,” the four Google workers wrote in their proposal. “Isn’t it time that emoji also reflect the reality that women play a key role in every walk of life and in every profession?”
Today this proposal came to life when the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee agreed to add 11 new professional emoji, in both male and female options and with all the skin tones.What’s more there is an addition of a male or female counterpart to 33 emojis that already existed in only one gender. Now emoji men can get haircuts too!
These new emoji re-affirm Google’s efforts to better represent women in technology, and to connect girls with the education and resources they need to pursue careers in STEM.
