Social networking medium Facebook has introduced a new range of gender options to its site, allowing users to choose their gender from a wider spectrum.
The platform now permits users to select one of over 70 options in a bid to encourage those on the network to express themselves when creating or editing their profile pages. This new feature enables the selection of genders, including androgynous, transgender, polygender and intersex, with users also presented with the option of suggesting their own custom gender additions and stating the pronoun they wish to be referred to as.
This move comes following a similar feature launch in the US in February, whereby a selection of up to 50 gender options were presented to users. It moves past the binary options of male and female, with a number of news providers claiming that the network’s decision to change how it allows users to express their gender is a better reflection of today’s society.
In a statement released by Facebook’s diversity branch, the company has said:
“[…] we’re proud to offer the UK a new custom gender option to help you better express your own identity on Facebook.”
Press for Change’s vice president, Professor Stephen Whittle, has welcomed the decision of the networking giant by stating:
“[…] by challenging the gender binary, Facebook will finally allow thousands of people to describe themselves and it will allow future generations to become truly comfortable in their own skins.”
Users will be able to edit these details by clicking on the ‘About’ tab in their timelines.
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