There’s never been a better time to be an emoji user — and it’s about to get even better. Two-hundred and thirty new emojis are set to roll out to users in 2019, which will make it not only easier to express ideas, but will also be more inclusive.
The emojis will likely roll out to users in September or October and are part of the Emoji 12.0 release, which essentially means that they’re new emojis approved by the Unicode Consortium.
For starters, there is a range of emojis aimed at being more inclusive of disabled people — including wheelchairs, canes, hearing aids, and prosthetic limbs. That’s something that Apple has been lobbying for — the company wrote in a proposal for the emojis that “one in seven people around the world has some form of disability” and that “adding emoji emblematic to users’ life experiences helps foster a diverse culture that is inclusive of disability.”
There is also a ton more emojis devoted to being inclusive of different kinds of couples. The “people holding hands” emoji will now be available in different skin tones and genders, making for 171 possible combinations. And, there’s a new drop of blood emoji aimed at symbolizing women’s periods.
Other emojis are less important to include, but still interesting additions. For example, there are a few new emojis dedicated to food — including garlic, a waffle, an onion, butter, and a juice box. There’s also new clothing emojis, like a one-piece swimsuit, a sari, ballet shoes, and a safety vest. Perhaps you’re more interested in animals; in that case, you’ll get a sloth, otter, flamingo, skunk, and orangutan. Other random emojis include a ringed planet emoji, a yo-yo emoji, and a pinched hand emoji.
In general, there has been a big push to add more inclusive emojis, and while the range of emojis has advanced in leaps and bounds, many still feel that the Unicode Consortium could do more. For example, while there are a number of skin tones, many feel that none of the skin tones on offer actually represent them — and that’s likely something that Unicode Consortium is working to address.
