New Emojis Include Transgender Flag, Bubble Tea, and Seals
It’s that time again: new emoji are here, from woman wearing a tuxedo to man feeding a baby.
Woman in tuxedo. Man feeding baby. Seal. You love to see what new emoji will enhance your keyboard every year, though some have argued that the annual update (yet again) isn’t inclusive enough.
The Unicode Consortium announced 117 new emoji on Wednesday, ranging from a gender-inclusive alternative to Mrs. and Mr. Claus, called Mx Claus, to a tamale and flatbread. The nonprofit org based in California releases new icons every year for Apple and Android devices.
Other new additions include a transgender flag, long drum, accordion, boomerang, nesting dolls, cockroach, and potted plant.
What’s missing from the emoji keyboard has been a hotly debated topic for years; activists have made the case for an afro emoji and a menstrual period emoji.
If you’re wondering how emojis actually get made, the activists behind the documentary “Picture Character” demystified the process of making the beloved icons, including the hijab and a traditional mate drink.